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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27204412">Crushes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heather___Grace/pseuds/Heather___Grace'>Heather___Grace</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alex &amp; Reader are twins, Come At Me, F/F, F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Not Ashamed, M/M, Reader-Insert</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:07:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27204412</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heather___Grace/pseuds/Heather___Grace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Basically, I wanted to make myself a character in Julie and The Phantoms because I love it so much. Then I figured, why not make this a Reader/Luke/Reggie story so that everyone can insert themselves?</p><p>Essentially you are Alex's twin sister. You have always been close with him and that included his best friends. You went to the Orpheum to watch the guys perform and ended up eating the street dogs too. You come back as ghosts with them. Mostly following the plot of the show, but with many added twists and Julie and Luke don't have anything besides a friendship together (sorry not sorry.) You have anxiety just like Alex, and you both have many similar traits. This is basically the story of your afterlife with references to your life with the boys. You have crushes on both Luke and Reggie but you never told them. You never had to spend much time with them either. Now you have to manage your crushes on them without your brother figuring out OR the guys.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex/Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn/Julie Molina, Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms)/Reader, Luke Patterson/Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Luke Patterson/Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)/Reader, Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>149</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Soooooo, I am really excited about this fic and I really hope you enjoy. I'm just letting the ideas flow and I'm not fully sure in which direction i'm going. I hope you like this fic and that you leave comments and kudos since they always make me smile! If you have any ideas, I am always open to suggestions!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>How are you supposed to react when you find out you’ve been dead for 25 years even though it only felt like an hour? In the dark room my brother had been crying, Luke was silent, Reggie was quietly humming, and I had been contemplating what came next. All of a sudden, we all feel a falling sensation and we appear in the boys studio. Or at least what used to be their studio? <br/><br/>Julie, the girl who screamed rather loudly at us when we appeared, explained that the year was 2020. I’ll never understand how we lost track of time like that. But maybe ghost time is different? Regardless, we’re dead and now all of us are eternally seventeen- even though we should be in our forties. <br/><br/>I would have preferred being a vampire to a ghost in all honesty. Sure I hate blood, but at least people could see me. Or I could’ve at least had a more dramatic death than a bad hotdog. Like seriously? It’s totally on brand for the guys, but I had only eaten a street dog because I was hungry and options were limited! <br/><br/>Although, you can’t change the past and I wouldn’t want to anyways. I love my brother and his friends and if I hadn’t been there to cheer their band on for the gig? I would have had to live my life with all of them gone. <br/><br/>Shaking that thought from my head, I continued my walk down the streets of Sunset Boulevard. The guys were back at the studio, I told them I wanted to walk alone to process.<br/><br/> I stopped by my old house, but to no real surprise, my parents weren’t there anymore. Of course, I don’t know if I would have wanted to see what they were up to anyways. <br/><br/>Growing up, they were fantastic parents. They were supportive with Alex’s drumming, they provided us with anything we needed, they handled my brother’s and I’s anxiety rather well, and they always made sure that we knew they loved us. But, Alex coming out changed everything. <br/><br/>Our dad stopped talking to Alex all together. As soon as the confession was out, not a single word from my fathers mouth left in Alex’s direction. It was like he didn’t exist! Mom wasn’t much better, their conversations always being very stilted. Their behavior towards me never changed, but mine toward them did. <br/><br/>I love my brother and I don’t care that he likes guys, I see nothing wrong with it! When Alex told me when we were sixteen (although let’s be real, I totally suspected since we were thirteen), I was nothing but supportive and I reminded him I loved him and this didn’t change anything. <br/><br/>I started acting as cold to my parents as they were to Alex, if they felt my twin was no longer their son, then I was no longer their daughter. I also never faulted Alex for spending more nights with the guys then at the house after that day either. I often didn’t want to be their either, and would regularly bother Alex until I got invited along too. Because seriously? You cannot tell me you wouldn’t want to hang out with his hot band mates too. <br/><br/>That’s another thing. I definitely have crushes on both Luke and Reggie respectively. How could I not? Luke is charismatic, charming, compassionate, and so protective of his friends. While Reggie is so adorable, energetic, kind- hearted, and loyal. Plus, they are both super easy on the eyes. <br/><br/>I’m completely shy in regards to sharing my feelings though- and it’s not like Alex would support me dating either of his friends. Certainly not in life, and I gather death wouldn’t change anything. Not that either of the two even liked me, because I would know right? Reggie wears his heart on his sleeve, and Luke always goes for what he wants. <br/><br/>Having crushes on the two definitely doesn’t make spending what will probably be eternity with them any easier. I mean, we are all close. Of course we are, with them being Alex’s best friends and I being Alex’s twin sister, we have a good friendship of our own. Luke constantly tries to teach me how to play guitar- although I don’t have the attention span to care, and Reggie would always watch cartoons with me. <br/><br/>Despite these facts, I still needed to go on a walk alone after we left the dark room. I’ve never really had to spend too much time with the guys. Although we were all in that room for twenty five years, since it didn’t feel like it, it really doesn’t count. Now, I have to get used to be around them all the time, and keeping my feelings in check. <br/><br/>Having the feelings is one thing, but the embarrassment I’d feel if they were revealed? That’s a whole other thing I’m not really prepared for. I know they won’t just go away either, since I’ve liked them since we were fourteen. But maybe I’ll meet another ghost and get into a relationship with them? Actually scratch that thought, since I’ve never really been in a relationship. I haven’t even kissed anyone! And I have no idea how to go about meeting other ghosts. <br/><br/>Turns out this walk isn’t doing a great job of clearing my head. It’s really just making all the things I don’t want to think about even more present. By this point I’ve been out and about for around three hours now, and if I don’t get back to the garage the guys will start to worry. It was already late when I left, and now it has to be around one in the morning. Steeling myself for the tingly feeling that I hate, I teleport back to the garage.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I poofed into the garage and the first thing I see is Alex pacing on the floor. I look to the right a bit to see Luke is trying to calm Alex down (unsuccessfully), and Reggie is quietly plucking strings on his bass. <br/><br/>“I’m sure she’ll be back soon Alex. We can go loo-“ Luke is saying when he gets cut off. <br/><br/>“Y/N,” Alex screams as he comes rushing towards me. “Where were you? You were gone for almost four hours! Do you know what time it is? You’re a ghost! That doesn’t mean you can go wandering for hours leaving your poor brother to think that something happened to you.” <br/><br/>I can’t really tell if Alex wants to hit me right now or hug me. The latter would be appreciated though so I lean in offering one which he accepts.<br/><br/>“I’m sorry Alex,” I reply leaning my head into his chest. “I didn’t mean to worry you, it’s just a lot to process ya’know? I wasn’t thinking about how anxious it would make you. I’m sorry.” <br/><br/>“We were worried too y/n,” Reggie says ruining the little moment Alex and I were having. He put his bass back into his stand and walked over to Alex and I with Luke in tow. <br/><br/>“Yeah! You might not be in the band y/n but you’re still family to Reggie and I, and if you had been a minute later, all of us would’ve been looking around Hollywood for you!” Luke scolded arms crossed over his chest. <br/><br/>I don’t appreciate the scolding very much, especially since it’s coming from all three of them now, and as I recall I only have one big brother. (He’s only older by five minutes but still counts.) Nevertheless the sentiment is nice, so I step out of Alex’s arms to address Luke. <br/><br/>“Awee Luke! You care about me? That’s so adorable” I reply sarcastically raising a hand over my heart. (If anyone ever thought Alex was the sarcastic or dramatic one. They’re wrong. I taught him it.) I drop my voice into a more serious tone to address them all. “Look okay, I’m once again sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you all out okay? I love all you assholes too, now am I forgiven?” I smile sheepishly at the end of the question holding my arms out. <br/><br/>The boys all turn to look to each other before sighing and joining a group hug with me. <br/><br/>As they start to let go Luke whispers in my ear “Awee you love me?” Just as sarcastic back, as I smile at the words. <br/><br/>This is one of the reasons I like Luke so much. He gives it right back to me which is very entertaining. Well, my brother does it too, but obviously it’s a lot more fun when Luke does it. <br/><br/>I shove Luke off of me as I reply “shut up,” laughing I continue, “Don’t let it go to your head, or I’ll never say it again.”<br/><br/>Luke raises an eyebrow and smirks at that but I ignore it as I move over to the couch and flop down on it. As I start to get comfortable I hear Reggie whining about wanting to sit here, so I wordlessly lift my legs so he can have a seat, and then put my legs down over his. <br/><br/>“So is anyone tired?” I ask the group. <br/><br/>“No, actually,” Alex responds sitting on the floor beside me. “Do we even need sleep? I swear being ghosts is so weird.” <br/><br/>“No I don’t think we need sleep!” Reggie exclaims. “I’m wide awake! I have so much energy right now.” <br/><br/>“No kidding,” I reply sending a look to Reggie. “I can tell since you keep bouncing my legs with your knees.” <br/><br/>Reggie just smiles at me and continues the motion, knowing that I’m not actually bothered by it. The thing about Reggie is that he doesn’t understand what’s going on most of the time. It’s actually rather endearing, but he always just seems to get me. <br/><br/>“Soo, what should we do then?” Luke asks from his spot on the floor by Reggie's feet. <br/><br/>“Well normally I’d suggest you guys play me songs. But alas, it’s late at night and people can actually hear you play!” I responded. <br/><br/>“Yeah about that,” Alex said nervously. “I really don’t understand that. We’re ghosts! Julie shouldn’t be able to see us, and apparently every one can hear us? It makes no sense!” he exclaimed.<br/><br/>“Alex again, who cares! People can hear us when we play!” Luke shouted, and then remembering he had to be quiet because Julie was sleeping, lowered his voice and continued “Making music has always been our dream. We can still do that.” <br/><br/>“Hey,” Reggie said breaking off the conversation. “Speaking of playing, why don’t we play a game? We have nothing better to do!” <br/><br/>“I swear to god,” I started looking at all the boys, pointedly Luke and Alex. “If you make me play ‘what are the odds’ one more time, I will hurt you.” <br/><br/>“But it’s so fun! And I’m so good at it,” Alex whined. <br/><br/>“And you’ll no longer want to play it if I castrate you if you make me play it again.” I seethed. “Remember what happened last time we played Alex? We may be dead, but I can still hurt you.” <br/><br/>“Well you’re no fun.” Luke quipped. “But fine, what about truth or dare then?” <br/><br/>Uh oh. That options worse. <br/><br/>“On second thought,” I laughed nervously. “Maybe ‘what are the odds’ would better.” <br/><br/>“Oooooo!” Reggie exclaimed. “Why don’t you want to play with us y/n? Trying to hide something?” <br/><br/>“Yeah, do you not trust us y/n?” Alex asked. <br/><br/>“Well, now we have to play truth or dare,” Luke smirked. <br/><br/>Yeah okay, so I don’t really want to play truth or dare with my brother and his best friends. But what do you expect? ‘What are the odds’ gets out of hand, I don’t even want to think about the kind of dares they’ll give. Never mind, the truths. But now I’m backed into a corner, and I never quit. <br/><br/>“Hey I never said I didn’t want to play,” I responded with confidence I really don’t have. “I was nervous for you guys. I’m very good at truth or dare.” I added with a wink. <br/><br/>“Well then let’s play!” Reggie exclaimed. “I’ll go first. It was my idea after all.” <br/><br/>Reggie looked around at all our faces before settling on Alex. <br/><br/>“Alex,” Reggie said. “Truth or dare?” <br/><br/>I could see Alex weighing the pro’s and cons of both, even though I already knew what he would pick. He’s just too predictable. <br/><br/>“Truth,” Alex answered. <br/><br/>“Of course!” I said. “Reginald did you really think he would answer anything other than truth? You should’ve just asked him truth or truth.” I added with a laugh. <br/><br/>“Hey!” Alex exclaimed affronted, which everyone ignored. <br/><br/>“Okay Alex,” Reggie said rubbing his hands together as if he has a brilliant truth. Which maybe he does, he’s unpredictable. “Who was your first kiss?” <br/><br/>Alex goes red in the face at the question. I’m actually curious too. Alex never told me he kissed anyone, but he probably did. <br/><br/>“Welll,” Alex started the pitch of his voice higher than usual. “Technically speaking it was Judy Anderson in the second grade.” <br/><br/>Alex stopped there, but Reggie and I were looking at him for more information. Alex wouldn’t have gotten red in the face, about a kiss in second grade. There’s more to add. Surprisingly, Luke didn’t look as interested in the answer. <br/><br/>“He didn’t ask technically who Alex” I responded looking at my brother. “Second grade doesn’t count. Who was your actual first kiss?” <br/><br/>Alex looked like he was still hesitant to answer, which made me even more curious about it. <br/><br/>“Umm,” Alex said twirling around the drumsticks he grabbed from the floor when the game started. “Luke.” <br/><br/>Reggie’s and I’s heads whipped around so fast to look at Luke. While Alex had looked embarrassed at the revelation Luke was smiling with pride. Although, I wouldn’t expect anything else. He’s Luke. <br/><br/>“Yeah I was,” Luke simply added. <br/><br/>“When did this happen?” Reggie asked. “Why didn’t I know?” <br/><br/>“Yeah,” I added. A bit hurt that Alex didn’t tell me when it happened. A little jealous too in all honesty. <br/><br/>“Shortly after I came out actually,” Alex answered. “But anyways I answered the question and you guys don’t need the details.” <br/><br/>Alex’s reluctance to elaborate was sending my head in a spin. Exactly what context was the kiss in? Were they ever more than friends? Did it happen more than once? Fortunately or more unfortunately for me, Alex interrupted my thoughts. <br/><br/>“So y/n,” Alex said. “Truth or dare?” <br/><br/>Unlike Alex, I really need to think about this. On the one hand, I’m not sure id like whatever dare he gave me. But on the other, he could definitely ask me something that I do not want to answer. <br/><br/>Deciding on the lesser of the evils, I responded “Dare.” <br/><br/>Alex smiled evilly at me. Okay, so maybe I chose the wrong one. <br/><br/>“I dare you to take something from Julie’s room without getting caught!” He exclaimed. <br/><br/>“Easy,” I responded poofing out of the garage and into the house. <br/><br/>I mean, it’s not that easy. I don’t know how heavy of a sleeper Julie is and I’ve never been in her room. I have no idea which one is hers, and I also don’t want to invade her privacy or take something with meaning. But a dare, is a dare. <br/><br/>I walk up the stairs thankful that I’m made of air and none of the stairs creek. I pop my head into the first door on the right. Even though it’s dark, I can tell it’s a young boys room, obviously Julie’s brother. <br/><br/>I move onto the next door this time on the left, and it’s definitely her dads room. I can tell from the size alone. The next door on the right is a bathroom, so finally I enter the last door on the left. <br/><br/>Even though it’s dark, with only a bit of light shining through the window since the moon is starting to go down, I can tell that Julie has a relatively clean room. She’s laying peacefully asleep in bed. A bed that looks super comfortable and all I want to do is jump on it, but alas, that’s creepy since she’s sleeping on it. <br/><br/>I can see a picture on her dresser but I can’t make out what’s on it. I can also see some kind of box on a shelf across the room. I decide the easiest thing to do is grab a shirt from her closet. Surely she wouldn’t notice it was gone before I could put it back? <br/><br/>I grab a white top with a sun design on it. Or, I attempt to. Apparently picking things up as a ghost are not easy. I keep trying and failing to grab it. Finally, I grab a hold of it and quickly poof back into the garage so I don’t loose it. <br/><br/>“See!” I exclaimed dropping the shirt on the table in front of the guys. “Easy.” <br/><br/>In the time that I was gone, Luke had decided he wanted to sit on ‘his couch.’ (It’s not really his, he just spends the most time on it.) Effectively taking my spot. <br/><br/>“Well that took forever,” Luke sighed. “We got bored while you were gone.” <br/><br/>“Of course you did,” I replied. “I’m the best entertainment this joints got!” <br/><br/>The guys just rolled their eyes at me but I didn’t care. I was still staring at Luke who was definitely in my spot. With a sigh, I plopped into the chair beside the couch. <br/><br/>“Thanks for saving my seat Reggie,” I said sarcastically. The boy in question shrugged sheepishly at me. “Now it’s my turn.” I added. <br/><br/>The boys looked around, all of them looking slightly nervous. I mean, I wasn’t kidding when I sad I was good at the game, so they had a right to do so. I looked all my potential victims in the eye, debating which one to pick. When my gaze lingered on Alex a bit too long he spoke up. <br/><br/>“Actually!” My brother exclaimed. “I think I’m gonna head into the living room and try to sleep on the couch there. Now that I’m thinking about it, I am kind of tired and a nap might be nice.” He then proceeded to poof out of the room. <br/><br/>“Coward,” I muttered as I looked to the two guys I was left with. <br/><br/>Alex is the easiest person to fluster in this game, and as he’s my brother I know a lot that would embarrass him. Alas, now I’m stuck with the two guys I don’t really know how to be alone with playing Truth or dare. <br/><br/>“Luke,” I called to the boy, who perked up immediately. “Truth or dare?” <br/><br/>“Dare,” he responded, ever the confident one he is. <br/><br/>I really can’t think of anything that would make him uncomfortable or that he would shy away from doing. But, maybe I can have him do something that I would get entertainment out of, Alex would be disappointed he missed, and that would make Reggie embarrassed. <br/><br/>“Okay,” I say smiling devilishly at the two. “I dare you to kiss Reggie.” <br/><br/>The smile Luke was wearing never faltered, but Reggie’s mouth dropped open as his face slowly turned red. As Luke started moving his position on the couch to face Reggie, <br/><br/>Reggie started stuttering “Um I-I’m, ugh, I don’t rem-“ <br/><br/>Reggie was cut off by Luke grabbing the back of his head and crashing their lips together. I gotta say, it was an interesting sight, seeing Luke making out with a flustered Reggie. As Luke moved to deepen the kiss, Reggie opened his mouth to accept Luke’s tongue. <br/><br/>After a few minutes of kissing, Luke released Reggie and fell back into the couch with a satisfied smirk. <br/><br/>I have to admit, I’m a bit jealous Luke didn’t kiss me like that, or that it wasn’t me that caused Reggie to whimper as he was released from the kiss. <br/><br/>“T-that was pretty hot,” Reggie stuttered. <br/><br/>“I second that!” I chimed in, just as I did I felt my face going red, because I didn’t mean to say that. <br/><br/>Luke’s grin seemed to grow even bigger after Reggie’s and I’s confessions. <br/><br/>“Alright y/n,” Luke addressed me. “Truth or dare?” <br/><br/>“Hey! Reggie hasn’t had a turn yet,” I argued, attempting to delay Luke’s revenge. <br/><br/>“Reggie was basically dared too,” Luke countered. “C’mon y/n, are you scared?” <br/><br/>I hate it when he does that, he does it just to test me. Well I’m not gonna give in. <br/><br/>“Of course not,” I replied smiling back at him. “Truth.” <br/><br/>When Luke’s smirk continued to grow, I realized maybe that wasn’t the best choice. <br/><br/>“Who do you like more, Reggie or me?” Luke asked. <br/><br/>“Awe, you think I like you?” I asked sarcastically trying to deflect the question.  <br/><br/>“Don’t you?” Luke countered smiling playfully. <br/><br/>Both Luke and Reggie were staring at me waiting for an answer. I honestly didn’t know what to say. My anxiety was kicking in. Playing this game was a bad idea. What does he mean by that? Like who do I like better as friends? Or maybe he knows about my crushes? <br/><br/>Regardless, I can’t play this game anymore. Alex is attempting to sleep on the couch, so he can’t freak out. Without thinking, I poof away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So this chapter is very long because it has a lot of dialogue present on the actual show. The next chapter will have a lot more of my own storyline, I just wanted to keep the plot of the actual show and I thought these scenes were important to include. Thanks for reading! As always, comments and kudos are appreciated :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After I essentially ran away from Luke’s truth or dare question, I ended up at the beach. I’m not surprised, this place was always my escape when I was alive. While I normally enjoyed walking around like Alex does when he’s anxious, if I’m overwhelmed I go to a secluded spot on the beach. </p><p> </p><p>The boys always spent a lot of time at the beach, and when Alex would go with them to play for tips, I would follow and hide in this spot. It’s not that Alex wasn’t okay with me tagging along, but I didn’t want to be the annoying sister that follows him around like a puppy. </p><p> </p><p>I had some of my own friends when I was alive, but I was never really close with them. The girls at my school were always so obsessed with fitting in and being popular, while I couldn’t care less. I’d always much rather hang around my brother and his friends, then go to a sleepover with a bunch of annoying girls. </p><p> </p><p>Not that those girls were even an option anymore, since I’m dead. I figure if I keep reminding myself of this fact, then the less I’ll worry about it. It’s not working per se, I still have a lot of thoughts running through my mind, but at least they’re at the back of it. </p><p> </p><p>I would estimate that it’s around 7 am now, having spent a couple hours just standing in the ocean. I couldn’t feel the water, but it was satisfying just the same to have my feet in it. </p><p> </p><p>I should probably head back to the garage now but I don’t really want to. I know that Luke and Reggie will try to question me about why I left, is it a bad thing if I say I had an anxiety attack because I started thinking about how we’re ghosts? It’s a half truth- I did feel an anxiety attack coming on. </p><p> </p><p>On the other hand, I do have to go back eventually, and the longer I’m gone, the higher the risk Alex will find out. Luke and Reg don’t seem like they’d rat me out, but at the same time- Alex knows how to get answers. </p><p> </p><p>With a sigh, I gather my courage and poof back to the studio. When I arrive, I can see the boys just lounging around. Luke was sitting on the couch going through his songbook. Alex was sitting off the balcony of the loft, staring at his drums wanting to play but knowing he wasn’t allowed, and Reggie was laying on the floor drawing. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey Y/n,” Alex greets me. “How was your walk?” </p><p> </p><p>Ah, an early morning walk. Nice save guys, I’ll have to thank them later. </p><p> </p><p>“It was nice,” I replied smiling at him, as I walked up the stairs to join him. “What time did you give up on your nap?” I asked. </p><p> </p><p>“About an hour ago,” my brother answered sighing defeatedly. “I tried for hours sis! But I just couldn’t fall asleep.” </p><p> </p><p>“That sucks bro,” I replied, patting him on the shoulder. </p><p> </p><p>“Where did you go on your walk y/n?” Luke asked me, chiming into the conversation. </p><p> </p><p>I could tell by the look in Luke’s eyes, if I didn’t tell him the truth, there would be hell to pay. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh ya’know, just went to the beach, I was feeling a bit anxious.” I replied, putting on a confident smile. </p><p> </p><p>“Why were you anxious?” Reggie asked joining the conversation. </p><p> </p><p>“Um, because this whole us being ghosts thing still freaks me out.” I answered praying Luke and Reggie would believe me. “My walk yesterday wasn’t long enough to completely clear my head?” </p><p> </p><p>While Reggie was nodding reassuringly believing my story, I could tell Luke didn’t. Greattt, I’ll be having an unpleasant conversation later then. I decided to change the topic for now. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey, so Julie should be awake now right?” I asked. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah!” Reggie exclaimed. “Let’s go see what she’s up to!” </p><p> </p><p>Reggie disappeared, probably gone inside the house already. Alex quickly followed. Just as I was about to Luke came up and grabbed my shoulder. </p><p> </p><p>“You know we have to talk about last night right?” He asked me. </p><p> </p><p>“Later Luke, please?” I begged him, using my puppy dog eyes full force, before poofing out of the garage to join the guys. </p><p> </p><p>Luke, Reggie, Alex, and I headed upstairs to check Julie’s room since we didn’t see her on the main floor. When Alex went to walk through I pulled him back quickly. </p><p> </p><p>“Let me check to see if she’s awake first,” I addressed the guys. “She could be <em>indecent</em>.” </p><p> </p><p>The guys nodded their agreement at me, so I walked into the room. I looked around but I couldn’t see Julie anywhere. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey guys, she’s not in here!” I called out to them. </p><p> </p><p>“What?” Alex asked entering the room, the two other ghosts quickly falling. </p><p> </p><p>“Where is she then?” Reggie questioned. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Luke added. “She couldn’t have left for school already.” </p><p> </p><p>“Maybe she was heading to the garage just as we poofed in here?” I suggested. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, that makes sense.” Alex agreed. </p><p> </p><p>We all poofed into the garage just in time to see Julie performing a song on the piano. She couldn’t see us, we ended up coming in behind her. She had a beautiful voice though. But, she told us she didn’t play? It made no sense. </p><p> </p><p>When she finished Alex went to go hug her or something but Luke quickly stopped him. Gesturing to all of us to poof out of the garage, which we quickly did so that we were in front of it.</p><p> </p><p>“Dude, why’d you stop me Julie needs a hug?” Alex asked Luke, pointing in the direction of the studio. </p><p> </p><p>“Bro, a ghost hug is not the feel good moment that you think it is, alright? Trust me. What Julie needs right now is just a bit of privacy.” Luke reasoned. </p><p> </p><p>“You know what? I think you poofed us out because you can’t handle when other people cry.” Alex challenged. “I should know, I cried in a room for 25 years and I didn’t get a single hug from any of you!” Alex continued gesturing to all of us. </p><p> </p><p>I mean he had a point, but also I was basically zoned out the whole time, and I never heard him ask for one. </p><p> </p><p>“Alright bring it in,” Reggie comforted, opening his arms and moving closer to Alex. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t touch me,” Alex exclaimed holding his hand up and blocking Reggie. </p><p> </p><p>Damn, drama queen. Maybe I take it back. He IS the more dramatic one. </p><p> </p><p>“This is why no one hugs you,” Reggie responded back. </p><p> </p><p>“I’ll hug you!” I exclaimed as I wrapped my arms around Alex who accepted it. </p><p> </p><p>“How come she gets to hug you!” Reggie whined. </p><p> </p><p>“Because I’m his FAVOURITE,” I sang back to Reggie, stepping away from Alex. </p><p> </p><p>“O-kay” Luke said interrupting the bickering we were having. “I think once we find the courage to go in there, we should ask Julie, why she lied about playing the piano.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Alex responded. “Ya’know maybe tell her how amazing she is?” With a shrug. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Luke whispered back. </p><p> </p><p>“She’s legit!” Reggie exclaimed. “I got ghost bumps!” </p><p> </p><p>Suddenly a girl walked past us into the garage, crying. She looked very fashionable, but I wonder why she was crying?</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my gosh, was she crying to?” Alex asked. </p><p> </p><p>“YES!” Luke declared turning back to look at us from where he was watching the girl. “And the only thing worse than one girl crying, is two girls crying.” </p><p> </p><p>“Hey!” I exclaimed angrily, hitting Luke in the arm. </p><p> </p><p>“He’s right,” Alex added, which earned him a smack too. </p><p> </p><p>The both looked at me as if to ask ‘what did I do wrong?’ Rubbing their now sore arms. I only glared back, because they know EXACTLY, what they did wrong. </p><p> </p><p>“Guys we definitely can’t go in there” Luke said, gesturing to the studio. </p><p> </p><p>“He’s right,” Reggie added. “But we can listen!” </p><p> </p><p>I just shake my head at the guys, as they go over towards the garage and peak through the windows. I mean we shouldn’t listen, but I do have to admit I’m curious too. I go over to the window and start to watch too. </p><p> </p><p>“Carlo’s told me you’d be out here,” the other girl declared. “We need to talk.” </p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay?” Julie asked the girl. </p><p> </p><p>“No! I’m not okay,” the girl exclaimed. “You just got kicked out of music! I’ve been up all night thinking about what I was gonna say. Might’ve drinken seven soda’s but I need to get this out.” </p><p> </p><p>“Wait I have something to tell you!” Julie said reaching toward her friend who interrupted,</p><p> </p><p>“No. It’s my turn to talk.” The girl says. </p><p> </p><p>I watched as Julie sat back, letting her friend take the floor. </p><p> </p><p>“You can’t give up music!” The girl exclaims. “Your music is like a gift so that would be a tragedy! So your like basically cancelling Christmas, and I love Christmas.” </p><p> </p><p>“Flynn,” Julie tries to say, before getting interrupted again. </p><p> </p><p>“Uh uh,” the girl now dubbed as Flynn says. “When we were six we promised to be in a band together! Double Trouble.” </p><p> </p><p>“Awe that’s a cute name,” I say to the guys who quickly shush me. </p><p> </p><p>“I never agreed to that name,” Julie says, shaking her head fondly at Flynn. </p><p> </p><p>“That’s not the point,” Flynn says as she moves around the piano to get closer to Julie. “Jules!” Flynn exclaims continuing her lecture. “If you leave the music program, we’ll be apart forever! That’s just what happens! Sure, we’ll see eachother in the halls sometimes but, we’ll have different lives! Make new friends!” </p><p> </p><p>“That’s not true,” Julie says, trying to reassure her friend. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re right!” Flynn declares. “I won’t be making any new friends! And the only time we’ll contact each other is when we’re liking each other’s posts on Instagram!” </p><p> </p><p>“What’s Instagram?” I whisper, only to have the guys shush me again. Geez, I wasn’t being that loud. Pouting I continued to listen.</p><p> </p><p>“And when I’ll be hitting that little heart,” Flynn said dramatically while sounding like she was crying. “My heart will be breaking because my best friend left me and-ughh do you have any soda my head hurts.” She added putting a hand to her forehead. </p><p> </p><p>“Can I talk now?” Julie asked Flynn. </p><p> </p><p>“Fine,” Flynn responded. </p><p> </p><p>“I just played the piano and sang again,” Julie said softly. </p><p> </p><p>“What! Why didn’t you just say so!” Flynn exclaimed. </p><p> </p><p>“I was trying, and then your seven sodas kicked in.” Julie responded. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m so happy for you!” Flynn cheered. “And me!” Which Julie laughed at, as Flynn continued. “Look at you, looking all, I don’t know ALIVE AGAIN!” </p><p> </p><p>“Right, it’s like I drank seven sodas,” Julie added sarcastically. </p><p> </p><p>I admit to nothing, but I may have laughed a bit at that. </p><p> </p><p>“What made you play again?” Flynn asked Julie, calming down a bit. </p><p> </p><p>“I found this song my mom wrote,” Julie responded, showing Flynn the song she was just playing. </p><p> </p><p>“Woah,” Flynn responded, looking at the lyrics. </p><p> </p><p>“I know,” Julie replied looking a bit sad. “I was so afraid to play it. Anything involving music reminds me of her.” Then changing her tone a bit Julie added, “and then I woke up this morning, realizing that’s <em>why </em>I should play it! To keep her memory alive.” </p><p> </p><p>“Awe come here,” Flynn said, wrapping Julie in a hug, and then immediately pulling back exclaiming “oh! We need to tell Ms. Harrison you can play again so you can stay in school! My life won’t be that sad picture I just painted for you!”</p><p> </p><p>Julie just laughed at her friend, and I gotta say, this interaction I was watching seemed very sweet. </p><p> </p><p>“My girl is back!” Flynn added smiling widely at Julie. “Double trouble lives again!” Flynn exclaimed grabbing Julie’s hand and leading her towards the door. </p><p> </p><p>“Not our band name,” Julie whined getting closer, and grabbing her bag. </p><p> </p><p>“I gave you a t-shirt in the seventh grade that says otherwise,” Flynn countered, almost at the door. </p><p> </p><p>Oh shit, we’re all just staring into the garage eavesdropping. Quickly the guys and I try to change our positions so we look ‘natural’ </p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie and I quickly sat against the door, Alex went to look like he was fiddling with a light, and Luke leant against the door, with his elbow propped on it. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh hey!” Julie says to us, noticing that we’re just chilling there. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">We all turn to look at her smiling, and nodding at her acting like we weren’t just listening to her conversation. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly Flynn turned to look at Julie and she realized that her friend couldn’t see us. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s hustle!” Julie exclaimed, trying to make it seem like she had been talking to Flynn. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As they started to walk away, Julie turned back to us to wave, and we waved back. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t worry we weren’t listening!” Reggie tried to reassure Julie, gaining a kick from Luke and a swat on the arm from me. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh-ugh” Reggie said in response to our hits, while Luke just looked at him like ‘dude’ and I glared. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Flynn noticed Julie waving she tried to make it look like she was swatting away flies. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s go!” Julie said, as they left to head to school. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The guys and I decided to head back into the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I wonder why Julie didn’t tell us she could shred on the piano?” Reggie asked. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Insane,” Luke responded. “That girl can sing!” As he pointed to the piano. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It probably has something to do with her mom,” Alex chimed in and I nodded along with him. “It must have been hard.” He said walking further into the studio. “Anyway, I really feel for her.” Alex added walking up the stairs to the loft. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke and I also walked further into the studio, while Reggie remained at the door. I went and sat on the couch and Luke walked over towards the piano as he responded,</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah but, now she’s got music back in her life.” Luke said looking up at Alex. “Just like us.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, I’m not sure you could call what we have a life,” Alex answered Luke, peering over the balcony at him. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s got a point there,” I chimed in, pointing up at my brother. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yo, hey!” Alex exclaimed. “Some of the clothes we left behind are still up here. Even some of your stuff sis!” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Finally, a change of clothes,” I groaned, sick of the dress that I died in. I was constantly cold, and it is NOT my favorite dress anymore. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex then proceeded to throw all of our bags down from the loft. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sweet!” Luke cheered walking towards the clothes. “Ah same clothes since 95’ boys” he added as he proceeded to take off his top. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I tried not to stare, I really did. But damnnnnn does Luke have a nice body. Who wouldn’t want to look at that? And i realllyyyy, wanted to touch his chest. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Julie’s dad walked into the studio and right through Reggie. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Woah that was weird,” Reggie said as I finally turned my eyes away from Luke who was finishing putting on his shirt to look at Reggie instead. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But somehow I could tell, this man has a kind heart.” Reggie continued, as we all stared at him, and Julie’s dad. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So how’ve you been?” Her dad asked. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I watched as Reggie looked around the room before replying</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Honestly, not that good.” Reggie answered. “See we ate these hot dogs an-and well we die-“ </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Julie sang for the first time this morning,” her dad continued, interrupting Reggie’s rambling. “Ah she hadn’t done that in almost a year. You would’ve loved it.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah we saw” Reggie responded looking directly at Julie’s dad. Who was decidedly not looking back “because we were-OH” Reggie suddenly exclaimed. “Oh I get it,” waving his hand in front of the man’s face while he starting taking photos. “He’s not talking to us.” Reggie added looking towards the rest of us. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I just rolled my eyes at the guy. Poor Reggie, always the oblivious one. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You are so lucky you can play bass.” Luke replied. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey that’s mean!” I lectured Luke. “Don’t be mean to Reginald.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke turned to look at me raising an eyebrow and gesturing to our clueless friend, I just stuck my tongue out at him. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Pretty sure, he’s talking to Julie’s mom.” Alex answered Reggie. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“She’s such an amazing young women,” Julie’s dad continued saying walking over towards the piano. “Everyday she reminds me more and more of you.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Called it!” Alex exclaimed pointing at the man. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Shut up!” I yelled to Alex, wanting to hear the guy speak. Alex flipped me off, but I ignored him, and went back to listening to the dad. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, I’m uh, taking pictures for the real estate website,” the man explained, gesturing to his camera. “I don’t really wanna move but,” he continued as the rest of us moved to stand across the piano from him, “I guess it’s best for Julie.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Move?” Luke asked leaning against the piano. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There’s so many memories of Julie playing next to you,” her dad continued as he sat at the piano. “Carlo’s trying to sing with his missing two front teeth.” He laughed as he reminisced. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke’s and Reggie’s eyes started to tear up as we all continued to listen to Julie’s dad. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh no Luke, not you too!” Reggie cried. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s talking about moving, but the poor guy doesn’t wanna move!” Luke replied as he shakes his head and sniffles. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The dad took a picture of the piano as he continued “it’s like they grew up, out here” gesturing around the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh man, now he’s got me too!” Reggie exclaimed trying and failing at blinking back tears. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, how am I the emotional one?” Alex asked staring at all of us. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t know Lex,” I replied watching as the scene unfolded. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“C-could we go see my family and see how they’re doing?” Reggie asked us.</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah,” Alex answered looking at Reggie and then back to Julie’s dad. “Listening to this feels wrong.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And do you remember, when the kids were at your sisters and we came out here on our anniversary?” Her dad asked. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah No! Definitely wrong!” Luke replied quickly poofing out of the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oo, yup,” Reggie added following after Luke. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m out too,” I said to Alex, poofing out to the the beach where Reggie’s house is, knowing that was where the guys were headed. </span>
</p><p class="p2">
  
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">- - -</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“A bike shack,” Reggie deadpanned, looking at the shop that stood in front of us. “Right where my house used to be. Right- here.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah- I’m sorry man,” Luke responded patting Reggie on the chest. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“They turned the Myerson’s house into a noodle shop,” Reggie continued, “couldn’t they have made mine like a pizzeria or something?” He asked. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“They tore down the whole neighborhood,” Alex explained. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Guess my folks are gone,” Reggie reasoned, disappointed. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Everyone is gone,” Alex replied. “Twenty five years gone. Friends, family, Bobby, everyone.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Bobby that’s right,” Reggie responded. “Guess that vegetarian lucked out. What do you think happened to him?” He asked. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Probably just got old like everyone else and moved on.” Luke answered. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well dude, how are you so casual about all this?” Alex asked. “I mean, don’t you wanna figure out what happened?”</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well let’s be real for a sec,” Luke replied hostilely. “It’s not like any of us were that close to our families. My folks always regretted buying me that guitar. Reggie” Luke continued pointing at said guy. “Your parents were literally a fight away from a divorce.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Okay, Luke’s spilling the harsh truth now. I know what comes next. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Alex, I- your parents were never cool again after you told them you were gay!” Luke exclaimed looking at Alex. “And y/n, you were never cool with your parents after the way they treated Alex.” He finished looking at me. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Okay, he had a fair point, but still, it’s not like I needed a harsh reality check. I was there, I lived through that. I know exactly the relationship I had with my parents before I died, and I don’t regret it. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, none of us had it great.” Alex reasoned. “But Atleast we had something!” he continued looking at Reggie and I. Turning towards Luke he added, “what do we have now? And before you say cool teleportation skills, just know I’m not entirely okay with that either. Alright it tingles, in WEIRD places.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Same,” I agreed with my brother. Reggie and Luke just looked at us like we were crazy, but I stood by Alex’s statement. The weird teleportation </span>
  <span class="s2">
    <em>did</em>
  </span>
  <span class="s1"> tingle. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well I’ll tell you what we have,” Luke answered standing up from his seated position as we all turned to look at him. “It’s what we’ve had since the day we all came together. We have each other. We’re the only family we’re ever gonna need. You know what else we have?” He asked getting very into his little speech. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m gonna guess death breath?” Reggie asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I tried to stifle my laugh, I really did. But Reggie is so cute sometimes. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Our music, you dork!” Luke exclaimed smiling and pointing at Reggie. Then he continued, “we have our music you guys! I know you don’t play y/n but you like listening to us perform and you help with the lyrics! Also people, actual people can hear us play! They can’t see us fine, but they can feel us. If I had my guitar I’d play for all these people right now. Just like what we used to do at the pier.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah,” Alex interrupted. “They can’t tip what they can’t see.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s not about the tips Alex,” Luke explained walking towards us. “It’s about playing music, connecting with people, making a difference in their day.” Stepping back Luke continued. “I- I just wish I had my guitar.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Luke’s guitar appeared in his hands. I mean what the fuck?!</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Woah, oh that was rad!” Reggie exclaimed pointing at Luke. “How’d you do that?” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t know,” Luke stuttered looking down at his guitar. “I-I-I mean I just wished for it and then it came in my hands.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie quickly clapped his hands and held them open. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I-I- I wish I had a puppy!” Reggie exclaimed closing his eyes. Opening them and seeing no puppy he tried again. “A hamster?” Looking at his hands again </span>
  
  <span class="s1">missing a hamster this time, he tried one more time, “uh, pizza?” Again nothing showed up. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Damn Reginald,” I said looking towards the guy. “I really hoped that last one would work, I really want some pizza.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex and Luke just shook their heads at Reggie and I but I didn’t care. The last thing I ever ate was a bad street dog! What’s a ghost girl got to do to get some pizza? I sat with Reggie on the ground, sad at not at least having a puppy to play with. Wishing for anything and suddenly having it would be nice. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey!” Luke exclaimed looking at us. “I think I know something that’ll cheer you up.” As he started playing his guitar. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I instantly got up, excited to watch the guys jam out. I love listening to them perform. Alex and Luke were able to convince Reggie to sing, and I watched them goof around singing ‘this band is back.’ I couldn’t help but laugh at their antics. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After they finished, Alex decided he was gonna walk around the city, and Reggie decided to go investigate some of the new shops. Suddenly I was alone with Luke. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Actually, I think I might-“ I was saying trying to come up with an excuse to try to avoid the conversation with Luke I know is coming, </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nice try y/n” he says as he grabs my arm and stops me from poofing away. “You know we’re talking about what happened last night. Care to take a walk on the beach with me?” </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He poses it like it’s a question, but I can tell by the look in his eyes and smirk on his face that it’s not, and that I’m not getting out of it. So I nod my head and start walking towards the sand again with him. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Edit: Also I totally just realized I messed up on the formatting because I wrote this on two different notes on my iphone when my phone started to glitch. I'm too lazy to fix it, so i'm sorry if the extra long spaces between paragraphs bothered you!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I debated posting this later, since it’s like 3:43am for me, but I know that then I’ll be sleeping the majority of the day &amp; I wanted to get this out since I left everyone on a cliff hanger! So here’s the next chapter! Finally the Luke conversation you have been waiting for, and some things you never expected ;) Hope you enjoy! Comments &amp; Kudo’s always appreciated of course. &amp; any suggestions you have for the fic, feel free to give!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The walk to the shore was silent, I figure that Luke is waiting for me to start the conversation. But if he thinks I will, then he obviously doesn’t know me very well. When it becomes apparent that I’m not gonna speak as we reach the sand, Luke decides to speak up. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Soooo,” he starts, slowing his pace a little. “Why did you leave when we were playing truth or dare? Do you not like Reggie and I or something? Because I thought we were all friends and-“ </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke was rambling so I cut him off. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We are friends!” I exclaim, as I stop walking to look at him. “I’m sorry I gave you the impression that I don’t like hanging around you guys. I didn’t mean to.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Then why did you run away?” He asks again, stopping his walk too, looking at me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Honestly, it would be easier to tell him the truth, I’m not the best liar. But I’d really rather not, I don’t want to see the pity in his eyes as I face his rejection. So, I come up with a plausible answer. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, you know I have anxiety,” I respond, looking away from his gaze so he can’t see the lie in my eyes I’m about to tell. “I freaked out because you wanted me to choose which one of you I liked better as a friend, and I think you’re both great. I didn’t want one of you to get upset.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke grabs my chin to lift my eyes up to himself. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Y/n,” Luke replies making eye contact with me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you freak out. I just thought that maybe you’d make a sarcastic comment about liking Reggie better because he doesn’t push you.” He removes his hand and steps back a bit. “Or me, because obviously I’m the superior looking one.” He adds winking at me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I laugh before I say “oh yes of course!” Rolling my eyes at him. “You’re just SO good looking Luke, I don’t know how I even form sentences around you.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I might have said that in a joking manner but it was definitely a genuine question I had for myself. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Exactly!” Luke exclaims, looping his arm around my shoulder as we start to walk again. “It really isn’t even a competition. I mean come on, Reggie is adorable sure, but I’m sexy and very confident.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“More like arrogant,” I counter smiling up at him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Although I don’t know how I got that sentence out because his arm is around me! Luke’s gorgeous, tan, muscular arm is around my shoulder and I don’t know how my brain is functioning. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Maybe,” he responds smiling back. “We weren’t supposed to be talking about me anyways,” he adds trying to get back on track. “You’re okay now right? We’re all good?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes you dork,” I answer hitting him on the chest lightly, and then change my tone to a more serious note. “I really am sorry I just left like that. My thoughts go in a million different directions sometimes, until the only one that’s left is ‘run.‘ I hope you weren’t worried about me.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I will always worry about you,” Luke whispers turning his body towards me and lifting his hand to caress my face. “I care about you y/n, you should know that. We may make fun of each other a lot, but you are important to me. Never doubt that.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I can feel my cheeks flushing as he runs his fingers across it. It’s like I can’t breathe. This seems like a moment where he might kiss me. But I know that I’m making it up in my head, and that’s not his intentions. So I quickly move my head away, so that his hand falls from my face. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In doing so, I missed the look of disappointment he flashes me when I turned away from him. When I look back into his eyes, he’s smiling. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thanks, Luke,” I reply. “I really care about you too. Also, thanks for not telling my brother about last night. He would’ve lost his shit on me... again.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Of course I wouldn’t tell him that.” He reassured me. “Reggie and I had gone looking for you last night, but eventually we figured you’d come back when you were ready.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Did you answer any of his questions about the game?” I asked, knowing my brother would be very interested in what went down. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, we told him that I kissed Reggie. Mainly because as soon as he asked Reggie went beat red- which was entertaining and you really should have been there!” Luke answered laughing. “Alex was SO upset that he missed it.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Of course he would be,” I chuckled. “Two pretty boys kissing? Who wouldn’t want to see that?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, so you think Reg and I are pretty?” He inquired teasingly at me. “Damn y/n, you’re really boosting my ego today. What did I do to catch you in a good mood?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh shut up,” I sassed at him. “Your right. I’ve reached my limits of compliments for you today. You don’t deserve them anymore. Anyways, let’s head back to the studio. Only having you as company is starting to give me a headache.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What nooo,” he whined. “I thought we were having a moment?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We were,” I answered. “But, then you opened your mouth about it. So moments gone.” I shrugged. “Meet you back at the studio loser.” I added before teleporting back home. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - -</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The guys and I were chilling in the garage and we were all completely bored. Julie wasn’t home from school yet, so we couldn’t go bother her. So we were laying on the floor and thinking of things to do. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We could try to eat again?” Luke suggested only to be received by a round of groans. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Dude no,” I answered not lifting my head to look at him. “I already let you guys try THREE times, I’m sorry but your ability to eat food died with you.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We could play another game?” Alex offered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” I shot down the idea, actually moving my position to sit up and glare at them. “Not another game. I’m still processing the last one. It’s not my fault you quit early Alex.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But didn’t you-“ I quickly kicked Reggie causing him to cut off his question. I sent him a look that said ‘if you finish that sentence, your afterlife will be over too.’ I don’t need Alex knowing I went missing for hours again.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I KNOW!” Luke shouted, jumping up off the floor to stand. “Let’s go check out Julie’s room.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t really think that’s a good idea,” I answered. “Julie won’t be happy.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Luke responded surprisingly agreeing with me. “Too late.” He then added and with a grin poofed out of the room and probably towards Julie’s room. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Guys-“ I tried to warn the others, but they were gone too. Great. Well if you can’t beat em join them... right?</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Grabbing the shirt I took from Julie’s room earlier, I poofed in. Only to see Luke staring at a box on a shelf, Reggie laying in the middle of her bed, and Alex standing at her dresser attempting to pick up a framed photo. I quickly moved towards the closet to throw the shirt in, before going over to Reggie telling him to “move over” as I laid on the bed too. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">We were only in the room for a couple of minutes before Julie came walking through the door, disturbing us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What are you guys doing in my room?” She yelled at us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Immediately all the guys stumbled at once</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ughh,”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We uh”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We were looking for the kitchen?” Luke offered a few seconds later. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie, not believing us quickly lectured, </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“This, this, can’t happen,” she began wagging her finger at us. “It’s creepy. Get off my bed please?” She asked indicating towards Reggie and myself, and we quickly rolled off.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s all their fault!” I exclaimed pointing towards theguys as I moved to stand beside the bed. “ I told them not to come in here and they didn’t listen and I didn’t want to be left by myself.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie nodded at me and stated “noted.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">while the guys just glared looking betrayed. Hey- I don’t want to be in trouble. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Julie?” Luke asked raising his hand like a child in school. “What’s in the box?” He finished pointing towards the box he had been looking at. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s off limits,” the girl answered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, okay.” Luke responded. “Girl stuff,” he added pitching his voice. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie just crossed her arms.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ohhh, like butterflies and glitter,” Reggie reasoned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Did he just? I just can’t with him sometimes. It’s adorable really, that he thinks girl stuff is ‘butterflies and glitter.’</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, come on,” Alex lectured the boys. “I’m sorry about them.” He finished looking at Julie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s none of your business!” Julie chided. “And yes, there may be some glitter.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie smirked at the answer and I just rolled my eyes. Typical, now he’s gonna feel smug about it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey!” Alex exclaimed. “I actually picked something up!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Finally holding the photo he was trying to pick up earlier and walking towards the bed. But then it fell through his hands and landed on the bed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I dropped it,” my brother sighed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Is that your mom?” Luke asked leaning over to look at the photo. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes,” Julie answered walking towards it. “And it’s my favourite picture of us,” continuing she grabbed the framed photo. “So if you break it, I break you,” and moving the photo onto her night stand. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, well sorry,” Alex said moving to straighten up from where he was bending over. “We’re kind of unbreakable at this point.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can still hurt you,” I warned them as Julie gave me a grateful look. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t get it,” Julie questioned walking back over to us. “You guys can mess up my bed, pick up your instruments, but you can’t pick up other stuff?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I know right? It’s hard but for some reason our instruments-easy” Luke declared. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, like super easy,” Reggie chimed in. “Oh check out what I learned today,” he proceeded to summon his bass and promptly fell back against the bean bag he had recently been sitting on. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah that looked super easy,” Julie and I sassed at the same time. I give her an air fist bump which she returned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, but it’s like I always thought!” Luke added smiling. “It’s like our instruments are attached to our souls.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie just shook her head at Luke when suddenly we heard a ‘hey’ coming from the door and turned to see her dad. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Immediately, I flinched and fell back onto the bed. Reggie flipped over the bean bag he was sitting on landing on his feet, and Luke and Alex grabbed each other’s hands- a fact that I will definitely be teasing them about later. Julie had turned around to face her dad. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Everything okay in here?” He dad asked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Everything’s fine,” Julie replied. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s not,” Alex mumbled looking at Luke who nodded his head. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I turned to the two, far more interested in that interaction then the one Julie was having with her dad. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“OH, we’re definitely talking about that later,” I whispered to the two of them. Who both groaned at the admission probably hoping I hadn’t seen it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I turned my attention away from them, refocusing on what Julie’s dad was saying. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, if you need anything,” her dad was saying and turning towards the door silently asking if Julie wants it closed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, thanks,” Julie answered smiling at her dad as he left, and then turning back around to face us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Your dad seems like the kind of guy who likes to barbecue,” Reggie commented to the girl. “I bet that he has a great ribs recipe.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t know,” Julie responded shaking her head at us. “But if you guys want to talk to me we have to do it in the studio. He’s worried about me enough as it is!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He seems chill, you should just tell him about us.” Luke replied. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re kidding right?” Julie asked, noticing a blank look on the boys faced she sighed and continued “this part year everyone’s been watching over me. Being super nice, as if they’re waiting for me to snap. If I tell my dad I met a ghost band, I’ll be back to talking to Mr. Turner three days a week.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, you probably shouldn’t tell him,” Luke advised before walking back over the box from before. “Julie?” He questioned staring at it again. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh my gosh, I thought I told you to leave it alone!” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“She told you to leave it alone Lucas!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie and I scolded at the same time respectively. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I know, you should have just said nothing because now I can’t stop thinking about it so, what’s in the box Julie?” Luke ranted staring at the girl. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s just my dream box okay?” She exclaimed looking at him. When she saw that he didn’t know what that was she explained “whenever I get a thought or something I write it down to get it out of my mind.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Like lyrics?” Luke questioned looking back at the box. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie sighed. “They would be if I still wrote music, like I used to with my mom. Now it’s just full of stuff that doesn’t make me sad.” She explained. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I-I mean but you do play,” Alex said getting up from the window sill he had moved to sit on and walking closer towards Julie. “We heard you this morning.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“In the garage?” Julie questioned upset. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke promptly hit my brother in the arm while I mumbled “idiot,” which Alex clearly heard since he glared at both Luke and I while he rubbed his hurt arm. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So you guys were there to?” Julie continued glaring at us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While the guys stumbled I cut in again </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That was there fault to! I didn’t want to listen, they made me!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie nodded her understanding at me, but the guys just glared because technically this time I was lying. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So where is your kitchen by the way?” Luke asked moving to lay down on the bed beside me and attempting to change the topic. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay,” Julie said smiling bending over so her face was level with Luke. “We need to set some boundaries. For starters,” she continued suddenly raising her voice “STAY OUT OF MY ROOM,” she shouted and pointed towards the door. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">We all quickly and started moving towards the door. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Mmhmm, so clear”. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’re leaving! Yes ma’am!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We are outta here.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The guys walked out the door, but I stayed back wanting to talk to Julie for a sec. Alex clearly had the same idea, since he popped his head back into the room as Julie was moving her photo back over to her dresser. Not bothered by the fact that I stayed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey Julie?” Alex asked startling the girl. “Umm, sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you. Did you get back into your music program?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No, no I didn’t.” Julie answered looking down before meeting his eyes again. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m sorry, that really sucks.” Alex replied sincerely. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thanks,” Julie responded.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex just nodded at her and then started looking around the room. Julie and I just stared at each other as if sharing the same thought ‘this is awkward.’ </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Is that it?” Julie quested Alex. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, yeah” Alex answered smiling awkwardly. “This is getting weird. You coming sis?” Alex asked me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ll meet you back in the studio, just want to talk to Julie for a bit.” I answered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He still hadn’t left tho, so Julie and I gave him an awkward little wave. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay,” Alex said, finally going back into the hall. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“One second,” I told Julie when it looked like she was about to ask what I wanted to talk about. I walked over to the door and popped my head into the hall shouting “GO AWAY.” At the guys, who as I expected were standing in the hall wanting to eaves drop on the conversation. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They quickly poofed away, and I waited a minute or so before walking back into the room. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m sorry about them,” I apologized walking over to Julie and joining her on her bed where she had moved to sit. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s okay,” she laughed. “So what did you want to talk to me about?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I just wanted to tell you that if you ever want to talk about anything, I’m a great listener.” I informed her. “I don’t know what it’s like to lose a parent the way you have, but I didn’t have it easy growing up. Now obviously, I know more about loss since I am the person that died. But- if you ever just need a friend to listen or talk with, I’ll be there.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie gave me a sad smile and thanked me. I wanted to hug her but I knew I’d just go through her. So I said my goodbyes and left returning to the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Soo, what did you two talk about?” Alex asked, walking towards me as I sat down on the couch in the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh you know,” I replied smiling at my brother. “Butterflies and glitter!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Really?” Reggie asked, looking to me with a huge smile on his face at being right. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I was using sarcasm so I answered in the most non-condescending voice I could muster,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Of course Reg! Those are some of the most important conversation starters of girl talk.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie’s smile grew as he whispered “I knew it.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Turning my head back to Alex, I asked “so, are we gonna talk about what that hand holding thing was all about?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Both Alex and Luke groaned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do we really have to?” My brother whined. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’d really rather not,” Luke chimed in coming towards the couch and sitting on the floor in front of it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And I’d really rather have answers.” I scolded the two of them. “You’re obviously keeping something from me which is surprising because you both SUCK at secrets. I understand Reginald not catching on,” I heard a soft ‘hey’ from Reggie but ignored it, “but I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex and Luke sighed, realizing I wasn’t going to let it go. Luke gestured for Alex to explain, who nodded. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We dated for a few weeks after I came out okay?” Alex answered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What? My brain just broke. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, but then we realized we were better as friends,” Luke was quick to add. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes! Exactly!” Alex exclaimed pointing at Luke. “It wasn’t working out how either of us had hoped, so we called it quits.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s why I was his first kiss though,” Luke explained. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And why we grabbed each other’s hand when we got scared,” Alex added. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I took a second to process this information. At first I was angry, but mainly, I was just hurt. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked my twin, the hurt obviously clear in my voice when his face softened. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, it was new, and I didn’t know what was gonna happen. A-and, I had just told you I was gay too, and I know you said you loved me but that’s different then seeing me in a relationship and-“ Alex rambled but I cut him off. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You thought I wouldn’t support you?” I asked, feeling even worse than before. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” Alex answered before smacking his head and clarifying. “No I mean, I thought you would support me? Maybe, I don’t know. I know you would’ve supported me now though alright? Yeah I should’ve told you, I’m sorry!” He shouted the apology. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I took a deep breath, and nodded. I wanted to yell at him, storm away, anything. But, I saw my brother looking anxious, and I didn’t want to send him into a panic attack, so instead I responded,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s okay. It’s in the past. I forgive you. I’m glad you guys trusted me enough to tell me now.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We trusted you then too!” Luke chimed in. “We just didn’t want to jinx a new thing, and then when we broke up after like three weeks we didn’t think it was worth mentioning.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I get it,” I assured them, getting off the couch and gesturing for Luke to stand up as well. I walked towards them and hugged them both.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> “I’m sorry things didn’t work out,” I whispered to them. “But I’m glad you were able to remain friends.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So, is Luke like, gay then or?” Reggie asked from his position seated on the couch. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">We all laughed as I returned to my seat over by him on the couch. Although, I was curious about the answer too. I mean, my crush was already hopeless- but it would suck if it was impossible. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” Luke answered shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t really do labels. Girls are hot, guys are hot, why choose?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“YOU CAN LIKE BOTH?!” Reggie shouted, staring at all of us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Umm, yes?” Luke answered unsure from the sudden outburst. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh okay,” Reggie replied quieter. “I didn’t think it was an option. I think I like both too,” he finished blushing. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Oh; well this is an interesting development, I didn’t see all of these confessions coming today. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Looks like you’re the only straight one now y/n” Alex laughed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Actually, I’m not sure I’m straight,” I answered. “I’ve never really thought about dating a girl before, but I’m not opposed to the idea, I think they’re beautiful. Like-“ I cut myself off trying to think before continuing “Julie is really pretty and nice. I could probably see myself dating her. Ya’know, if I didn’t have feelings for someone else and I was alive.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The guys had all been smiling at me approvingly during my confession, but after the last sentence their smiles grew. Quickly I had to re think what I said; and I definitely felt my cheeks burning as I realized what I had done. I was about to back track when- </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Feelings for someone else?” Alex asked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ooooo, y/n’s got a crush!” Reggie cheered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Anyone we know?” Luke questioned and smirked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I felt my face getting redder and redder as I whispered “I didn’t mean to say that.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh! We know!” Alex exclaimed, smiling like a kid who just got a present on Christmas. “That’s what makes it even better!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So you gonna tell us who it is?” Luke asked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nope,” I answered loudly popping the ‘P.’ “I wasn’t told about your secret little relationship until YEARS later, so maybe in 25 years you’ll find out.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex and Luke scoffed, mad that I wouldn’t cave but Reggie just whined,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s not fair though!” I turned to look at Reg. “You can’t group me with them!” Pointing towards the other two. “I never lied to you, you can just tell me who it is! I swear I won’t tell.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He looked so cute, and he was so sincere, but I couldn’t possibly tell him about my crush on him, and I couldn’t tell him about my crush on Luke because he can’t keep a secret AT ALL. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m sorry Reg,” I replied putting a hand on his shoulder. “You are a very trustworthy guy, but you aren’t very good with secrets. Even if you were tho- I know these two would be able to get it out of you.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie sighed, looking down, knowing that what I said was true. Noticing that it was getting dark, and feeling the urge to go walking around again I stood up. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m gonna go on a little adventure guys,” I told the group. “I’ll be back later.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ll come with you!” Reggie exclaimed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No reg, you really don’t have to.” I answered him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But, I want to!” Reggie countered. “Please?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Oh no, he was looking at me with puppy dog eyes, how am I supposed to say no to those? With a sigh, I answered “sure Reg, I’ll take you to one of my secret spots, since you don’t keep secrets from me.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“When are you going to let that go?” Alex questioned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Never,” Luke and I answered at the same time. I laughed, </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Luke gets it.” Then grabbing Reggie’s arm, I teleported us out of the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - - </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I brought Reggie to my favourite park as a kid, I figured he’d get the most enjoyment out of it. Which was confirmed, when he immediately ran over to the playground and started doing the monkey bars. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“This is so fun!” Reggie exclaimed hanging upside down on them. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m glad you think so,” I laughed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I bet I could hold myself up on these longer than you,” Reggie challenged. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, it’s on!” I declared and stood underneath the bars as he climbed down to join me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay one,” Reggie counted. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Two,” I added. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Three!” We exclaimed together and quickly grabbed the bars and pulled our legs off the ground. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After only thirty seconds, I felt my arms getting tired, but I’m not one to admit defeat easily. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How ya feeling Reg?” I asked my challenger. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Pretty good,” he responded. “I could do this for a while, unlike you,” he added. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It’s true. My arms had started to shake after about a minute of doing this. But he looked strong as ever. Maybe, a bit of cheating wouldn’t do any harm? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I tried kicking him, but that didn’t work, he just glared at me holding on stronger and saying ‘if you start kicking then I’ll start kicking and then you’ll land flat on your ass.’ </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not wanting that to happen, I tried a different technique, as my arms were getting even weaker. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey Reginald,” I called to him. “If you let me win, I’ll tell you who I have a crush on.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I wasn’t going to do that, but the statement had the desired effect. Reggie lost his focus as he thought it over and fell to the ground. I laughed and let go of the bars, bending down to reach out a hand to help him up. Instead- he pulled me down too. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That was mean,” he whined. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But effective!” I sang back. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie went to push me but I dodged it, quickly getting off the ground and running away from him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Get back here!” He called after me, chasing me through the park. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He chased me onto the jungle gym, through the slide, up and over the teeter totter, and into the trees surrounding the park. I quickly pulled myself behind a tree to hide there. I turned to look back to see how far behind he was, but I didn’t see him. When I turned my head to look back in front of me, he suddenly poofed in front. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Got ya!” He smirked, putting his arms out around the tree and blocking me from moving. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I wasn’t sure I could move even if I wanted to. He was so close I could feel the heat radiating off his body -which in itself is weird since we’re ghosts and shouldn’t have heat, but I was trapped between his gorgeous body and a tree. He had the same look in his eyes that Luke had earlier, like he was going to kiss me- but again he wasn’t going to and I didn’t want to embarrass myself, so I quickly ducked under his arm and backed away. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Naw you don’t,” I responded laughing awkwardly but hoping it seemed normal. “Anyways, I’m kind of tired from all this running around! See you back at the studio!” And I promptly teleported away. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I didn’t see the look of longing he sent in the direction I had just been.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So here’s the thing, I’m a very busy person. And, I know I haven’t updated in a while, so here’s a super long chapter for you. I hope you like it, as always comments and kudos are appreciated!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When I arrived back at the studio I saw Luke bouncing around like a little puppy, as Alex just watched the guy from the couch. I moved over to sit beside my brother as I asked,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What has him all excited?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex didn’t get a chance to answer, because Luke stopped his pacing and turned to look at me with excited eyes. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Julie’s going to perform my song at her school tomorrow! Also she decided to stay! We won’t have to deal with her moving away, and I gave her ‘Bright’ so that she can put on a kick ass performance and stay in her schools music program!” Luke babbled, thrilled with his news. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Honestly, I was really happy with the news as well. After my conversation with Julie earlier I’ve grown more fond of her, I didn’t want her to leave. Also, Luke’s music is so good it deserves to be heard by people. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s fantastic Luke!” I exclaimed. “I’m so happy that you helped Julie come up with a solution to get back into her program!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are we going to go watch?” Reggie asked, sitting on the arm chair beside me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Wow, I was so focused on Luke’s bubbly energy that I didn’t even realize Reggie had followed me back into the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Definitely!” Alex chimed in. “Obviously Julie gets nervous when performing. We should be there to provide moral support.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I agree,” Luke added. “I wish that we could be up there with her, but I still think that we should be there to cheer her on!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I guess it’s settled then,” I declared. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So, what did you two do on your little adventure?” Alex questioned, looking at Reggie and I. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ughh, this is the big brother energy that I hate. The way that he is looking at Reggie as if to say ‘if you touched my sister I will murder you’ is VERY annoying. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It was so much fun!” Reggie declared, gushing to the boys. “Y/n took me to this park that she used to go to as a kid. We played on the playground like we were kids again!” He paused, trying to catch his breath from his rambling. “Then we played tag! I was victorious of course.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah right,” I said rolling my eyes at the boy, and then I fixed my eyesight on the other two. “There was no winner actually. He thought he caught me, then I ducked out of the way and we came back here. BUT I did beat him in a competition to see who could hold themselves up the longest on the monkey bars.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Even though there was fondness in both of mine and Reggie’s voices, Alex and Luke both looked upset. I don’t understand why though. But then, the three boys muttered different sentences at once. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You cheated.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You took him to our park?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why didn’t you do that with me?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was very easy to decipher Reggie’s mumbled ‘you cheated,’ because yup, I did. Alex’s hurt also made sense too. That was the park that we went to together as kids, so it makes sense that he could be upset that I shared it with someone else. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What doesn’t make sense, is what Luke said. He was the quietest of everyone, I suspect he didn’t mean to say it. By the looks of Reggie’s and Alex’s faces they didn’t hear it. I did though. Choosing to spare Luke of having to answer why he said that in a room with my brother and one of his best friends, I decided to address the other two. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I cheated and it worked,” I stated in Reggie’s direction, before turning to Alex. “I’m sorry Lex. I didn’t realize that you might not want me to bring anyone there. It’s still our park though!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Wiping away a false tear, Alex sighed. “I suppose I’ll allow it. It was Reggie that you took there after all.” Then leaning closer to me and stage whisper Alex declared “he is my favourite boy after all.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie beamed with pride at the statement, all sourness from the reminder that I cheated gone. Luke however; crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wow Alex,” Luke huffed. “She’s your favourite person,” pointing at me he continued, “he’s your favourite boy,” next he pointed at Reggie, “so what does that make me?” He finished, pointing at himself. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“A person who is not my favourite, and a boy who is not my favourite?” Alex summarized staring at Luke cheekily. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh yeah okay,” Luke groaned. “It’s not like I was your first kiss or boyfriend or anything. It’s not like I haven’t been the one to help you through several different panic attacks. You’re right Alex, I’m just nothing.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Oh; shit. Alex was just joking, and everyone knew that, probably Luke did too. But I could still tell that he was actually upset about this. I nudged Alex and urged him to make the situation better. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">My twin sighed, got off the couch and moved over towards Luke. He gave the boy a hug even though he resisted at first. Alex was speaking quietly to Luke but I couldn’t hear what he said. Whatever it was, when they guys pulled back from the embrace, Luke was smiling again. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So, what are we doing to avoid boredom tonight?” Reggie asked us, completely overriding the silence that had encompassed the room after the hug. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s go on a pub hall!” Luke exclaimed. “We can check out how music has changed in the last twenty five years!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Everyone agreed, but I could see that Julie’s light was still on in her room. As the others were getting ready to leave, I turned and addressed them. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Actually, I’ll meet up with you guys later,” I stated. “I’m going to go see if Julie wants some company for a bit.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you sure you’ll be able to find us?” Alex asked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I know all of your old haunts- no pun intended,” I reasoned. “Besides, if not I’ll just chill in here. I spend way to much time with you guys anyways. Wouldn’t you like some time just to hang on your own?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You don’t like hanging with us?” Reggie asked appalled. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Reg, I did not say that. I’ll meet up with you later alright? Go away already; I’m getting a headache from you all.” I responded, giving them a stern look, stressing to them that I’m okay. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a sigh, they all left the studio. I went over to the bag of clothes Alex had thrown down earlier and found a more comfortable outfit to walk around in. I put on some high waisted boot cut jeans, and a white crop top. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I also grabbed my crescent moon necklace that Alex had given me for my sixteenth birthday, and put it on. I had forgotten it in the loft when we were still alive, and I had forgotten to put it on earlier. With that done, I poofed to outside Julie’s room. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> I stood there for a second, not exactly sure what I should do. Then I realized I should probably just knock, so that’s what I did. I heard a muffled ‘come in’ and I walked through the door into Julie’s room. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She was curled up on her bed with her computer open. There was some sort of video or movie paused on the screen and Julie looked like she had been crying. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey Julie,” I greeted cautiously slowing moving forward into the room. “Are you okay?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah I’m fine!” Julie exclaimed, quickly wiping away the few tears that were on her cheeks, and putting on a smile. “Did you need something?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I really don’t know Julie enough to know whether or not it’s okay to push. She clearly was upset by something, but if she doesn’t want to talk about it, then I suppose it isn’t my place to say. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nope, I don’t need anything.” I answered. “Honestly? I saw that your light was on, and the guys were starting to annoy me. I figured I’d ask if you wanted to have some company for a bit?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie looked up at me and patted the empty spot beside her on the bed. “Some company would be great!” She surmised. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So what are you watching?” I asked, peering at the computer screen that was still open in front of her, as I sat beside her. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I was just watching Pretty Little Liars on Netflix,” she answered smiling at me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Two questions,” I confessed staring strangely at her. “What is Netflix? And what is pretty little liars?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh y/n,” Julie tuts. “You have a lot to learn.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - - </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie spent the last couple of hours explaining exactly what Netflix, Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter were. She also went over a lot on the different things I missed out on in the past twenty five years. It was actually really nice to hang out with Julie, and learn about all these new things. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After Julie finished explaining the concept of Pretty Little Liars, we watched a couple episodes of the show. I gotta admit, it is very addicting and I need to KNOW what happened to Allison. When Julie realized how late it was, she let me borrow her laptop so I could continue watching it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So here I am, watching PLL (Julie taught me some short form and slang words), having watched it all night and being so so close to the end of season one, when the boys return from their night out. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey sis! How was you-“ Alex was saying before I cut him off with a loud ‘Shhh.’</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex looked insulted by the shh, but I didn’t care. SPENCER AND IAN ARE IN THE CHURCH AND THEY’RE FIGHTING. He’s trying to throw her off, oh my god, what’s gonna- </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What ya watching?” Reggie asked, leaning close to me so that he can look at the screen. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah what is this?” Luke added. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sighing, I paused the show just as Ian was falling off the platform. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What part of shh, do you guys not understand?” I whined, looking at the guys. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We understood, we just didn’t care for you attitude,” Alex chided. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ugh, fine, if you must know. My night was great. I had a fun time hanging out with Julie, she explained a lot of things that have been happening in the last twenty five years, and she introduced me to this tv show called Pretty Little Liars.” I explained quickly. “I was actually just in the middle of the season one finale before you rudely interrupted, so can I get back to my show now?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nope!” Luke exclaimed, rushing over to the laptop (Julie explained that’s what you call it) and closing it. Quickly moving it out of my grasp. “Watching too much of this stuff will kill your brain cells. I’ll just go put this inside the house.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, Luke took off, before I could do anything about it. Just as quickly as he left, he appeared back in the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Lucky for me, no one was in the living room, so they couldn’t see the floating laptop.” Luke informed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I hate you,” I grumbled, crossing my arms and leaning back into the couch. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I very distinctly remember you stating that you love us all,” Alex chimed in. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Then I take it back,” I answered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey you still like me right?” Reggie asked, giving me full on puppy dog eyes and moving to sit beside me on the couch. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Of course Reggie,” I reassured, victim to the boy. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why does he get special treatment?” Luke whined, moving to sit on my other side, on the couch. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Because he’s nice to me, unlike you.” I stated, not turning to look at the boy. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, I’m your brother you have to like me,” Alex added, moving to sit in front of me so that I could play with his hair. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Unfortunately,” I reasoned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex tried swatting my hands away, but he eventually conceded and let me continue the action. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I suppose I should ask how your night was?” I questioned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well it wasn’t as exciting as your night apparently,” Luke replied. “Some of modern day music really sucks. Although, I guess I did like that one cover band who was playing, one direction? I think.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah that one was fun!” Reggie exclaimed. “That song ‘History’ was pretty catchy.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Welll, I’d be able to look it up, if I had the laptop,” I suggested, hoping that they’d give it back to me, so that I could continue the show. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nice try,” Alex answered, seeing right through me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a sigh I conceded, “well I’m glad your night wasn’t a total bust then.” Then remembering my conversation with Julie I continued, “Oh, also Julie told me that her dad would be going out today while her and her brother will be at school. So as long as we promise to keep the volume down, you can play some songs!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sweet!” Luke exclaimed, already moving over to his electric and plugging it in. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Luke we have to wait until they leave first,” Reggie reasoned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh they’re already gone,” I replied, pushing my brother and Reggie off the couch so that I could lay down. “I saw them all leave, Julie stopped by to say bye, but when she saw I was focused on the show she left me alone. Like a nice person does.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah yeah, we aren’t nice,” Alex said as he walked behind his drum set. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What song do you want to hear?” Reggie asked, bass in hand. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Crooked teeth,” I smiled. Everyone knew that the song was about Reggie, except the guy himself. It’s actually really funny, because when he finds out, it’ll no longer be his favourite. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“A one; two, three, four,” Alex counted off, as they started playing the song. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - - </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I only let the guys play a couple of songs, before we had to head to Julie’s school to watch her performance. She told me that it would be her second class of the day, although she didn’t know why I was asking seeing as I didn’t tell her we were planning to watch.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">We poofed into the gymnasium of the school just as a group of colourful girls were performing. They didn’t actually sound too bad, and I gotta admit their dance moves were kind of cool. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What are you guys doing here?” Julie accused as soon as she noticed us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We wanted to see you stick it to the man! Isn’t that right guys?” Luke answered, turning to us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We also wanted to provide moral support,” I chimed in, smiling at Julie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Man, I miss high school,” Reggie said, staring at the group of girls performing. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Okay, I’m not going to lie, that made me a little bit sad. Sure, they are all beautiful. But I wish Reggie would stare at me like that.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Everyone had turned to look at the girl group performing. Alex had started dancing a bit and I had to stifle a laugh. My brother was always trying to dance. It was even harder to not laugh when Alex bumped into Luke and the boy motioned to him to cut it out. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the girls were leaving the stage, and the principal started droning on about announcements, we all turned back to look at Julie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Now’s your chance, go talk to her, see you in music class,” Julie’s friend Flynn said before walking away to sit on the bleachers. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What are you waiting for?” Reggie asked Julie. “This is your time.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah; you look nervous.” Alex added. “Like yak in a bowl nervous.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I quickly hit Alex for the comment and shook my head at him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I just don’t think I had enough time to work on the song,” Julie worried, looking at Luke. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I wouldn’t have given you the song if I didn’t think you were going to rock it!” Luke exclaimed. Before continuing, “now there’s a piano on that stage with your name on it.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’ll do amazing Julie, I heard you practising this morning,” I encouraged giving her a warm smile. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a nod to us, Julie walked up towards the stage and sat at the keyboard there. She looked over to us and Luke stage whispered “you got this.” Then, Julie started playing the song. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the boys jumped in to play with her, I wasn’t even surprised. It’ll look very weird to everyone to hear instruments but not see them, but the boys could never resist a performance. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I was about to go sit on the bleachers to enjoy the performance; when I realized that the students could see them! What was happening? As I started freaking out a bit, I tripped and fell, and a kid shouted to me “watch it,” before moving around me to get closer to the stage. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What is going on? Am I visible too? That doesn’t make any sense! Well the guys being visible doesn’t make sense either, but I’m not playing an instrument! This is wayy to freaky. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the performance was drawing to a close, I wanted to leave, but I didn’t want to worry anyone. I wanted until it was done, and then poofed to the other side of the gym. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That was great guys!” I congratulated trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m going to head back to the garage though, let me know what happens with Julie!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I didn’t give them a time to respond or pick up on my mood, but they were all still feeling the rush of performing again that I don’t think they would have noticed anyways. I quickly poofed back to the studio, and decided to find my journal to write out all my thoughts. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I wouldn’t call it a ‘lyric journal’ per se, although I do write lyrics sometimes. Mainly, it’s like a diary. I just need to write down all the thoughts in my head so they don’t scramble. I only write in it when I’m alone too, so the guys don’t know about it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">If they did; I’d probably be subject to some very awkward conversations because I write all my feelings down in here- including the ones for Luke and Reggie. So it was hidden in the bag with my clothes whenever I would stay over here. It wasn’t often; but when my parents house would become too much for me; I would join the boys in the studio or sometimes just go there alone. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So I grabbed my journal and decided to write down everything that had been in my head the past couple of days. Finding out I’ve been dead for 25 years, the truth or dare game, the revealation of my brother and Luke having dated, my walk on the beach with Luke, my evening in the park with Reggie, and the realization that a living person besides Julie saw me! </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Things have changed so quickly in the last two days, and I really don’t understand any of it. I don’t handle change well, and that is all anything has been. Although, writing it all down did make me feel slightly better. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After I got all my thoughts out, I returned my journal to my hiding spot. Just in time too, because as soon as I sat back down, the boys returned. Even through all the excitement in the room, I could feel the nerves radiating off Alex. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey guys!” I greeted, trying not to let my own anxiety show. “How did things go with Julie?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“She got back into her music program!” Reggie exclaimed. “Oh, and a bunch of cheerleaders were looking at me. Luke confirmed it. Julie said she’d put in a good word for me.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Well Reggie’s excitement now made sense, even as I tried to hold back a grimace. Now is not the time to ponder other girls wanting Reg. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Is she also going to mention how you’re dead?” I questioned, trying to be snarky, apparently it paid off as Luke laughed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s basically what Alex said,” Luke chuckled, moving further into the room to sit by me. “Man you two are too in sync sometimes.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I bet I said it better,” I stage whispered to Luke, happy for the change in conversation. The wink Luke sent me afterwards, made my stomach flip. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are we not going to talk about what happened?” Alex asked, returning our focus to him, and he had started pacing. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie came and sat with Luke and I on the couch, and the three of us just watched my twin. I wanted to help him, but whenever his anxiety spikes like this it’s better to just let him walk it out. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I think he’s practicing his model strut,” Reggie commented. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s so nervous he’s almost making me nervous,” Luke added. Their comments were finally able to pull Alex out of his pacing. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, look. You guys know I don’t handle change well. Alright, death that was a change,” Alex started, and I knew he wasn’t going to stop any time soon. “Okay and then we became ghosts alright, another change. And- and now, we can be seen whenever we play with Julie. Big freaking change.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, I gotta agree with Alex, it’s kind of freaking me out too,” I added, wondering if I should tell them that when they can be seen, so can I. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, but bro it was a good change,” Luke addressed Alex, cutting off my trail of thought. “With Julie we can play on stage again and be the band we never got to be. C’mon, you gotta be down for that.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I saw that Luke’s words were able to break down Alex’s resolve a little bit, but he was obviously still overwhelmed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, I mean who wouldn’t be? I just-“ Alex paused, before continuing “I want to figure out why.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Forget why!” Luke suggested, standing up to further insinuate his point. “Man I saw we invite Julie to join Sunset Curve,” as Luke finished speaking, he turned to Reggie to back up his point. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah totally!” Reggie chimed in, standing up as well to join Luke. “I mean think about it, with a new lead singer, this band would be legendary!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I mean... Julie has a beautiful voice, but I also love listening to Luke sing too. By the looks of things, he doesn’t seem to keen on not being lead either. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey! I’m our lead singer,” Luke argued, turning to face Reggie who looked back at him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Dude, that girl has a voice of an angel. And she can make us visible, without her, we’re just like elevator music.” Reggie reasoned, obviously dead set on his idea. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I looked over and saw Alex had resumed his pacing. Yup, Alex has been very good with handling his anxiety lately. But he definitely looks like he needs an escape and the bickering is not helping. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, you don’t gotta be so mean about it,” Luke whined, before he too noticed that Alex was pacing too. “And we’re on the run way again!” Luke exclaimed, gesturing to Alex. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, I’m sorry I just, I gotta go clear my head.” Alex answered, frustrated and walking towards the studio doors. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you want company?” I offered, wanting my brother to have the option. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” he replied, before trying and failing to grab the studio door repeatedly. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey dude, you’re a ghost, just poof out,” Reggie suggested, who along with Luke was also watching Alex fail at opening the door. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t tell me how to ghost!” Alex huffed, before taking the advice and poofing out. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After Alex’s dramatic exit, the boys fell back on the couch beside me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So y/n,” Luke said, turning towards me. “Do you agree with Reggie? Should Julie be our lead vocalist?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This was unfair. He was looking at me with puppy dog eyes, and Reggie was looking at me pleading with me to agree with him. How am I supposed to answer that? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Welll,” I started, trying to come up with an answer to appease them both. “You will always be my favourite lead singer of Sunset Curve Luke. But if you want to be seen when you perform, then I think Julie should take lead, otherwise you won’t be seen for like the first half of the song.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke nodded, and then smiled at me. “So what you’re saying is. I’m your favourite.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I knew that Luke would get cocky about it, honestly I should have expected it. Of course, after Alex claimed that Reggie and I were both his favourites in different ways, Luke would want to boast about being my favourite. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I didn’t say that,” I scoffed, not giving him the satisfaction of the title as ‘my favourite .’ “Neither Reggie or Alex have ever tried to sing lead. Now that I think about it, maybe Reggie would be my favourite lead of Sunset Curve, he does have that country twang after all.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ayee!” Reggie exclaimed, holding his fist out to fist bump me just as Luke pouted. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Besides, the question of who’s my favourite out of you all isn’t the point. You guys have to ask Julie to join the band! I think you’d be great!” I exclaimed, trying to make the conversation go back on topic. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’ll get it out of you eventually,” Reggie added unhelpfully, I flipped him off and turned back to Luke. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah okay, Julie can be lead. When she gets back from school we’ll ask her to join the band!” Luke replied, the giddy smile from earlier returning to his face. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So what do we do now?” Reggie asked, and I could tell he was already getting restless. That boy cannot sit still for long. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s rehearse!” Luke announced, already moving towards his guitar. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Julie told you not to do that when her dad is home,” I lectured looking pointedly at the boys as Reggie had also taken the excuse to get up and reach out for his bass. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Luke excused. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I scoffed, but decided not to fight him on it. I had better things to do.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, well you guys do that then. I’m going to Julie’s room to continue watching my show,” I replied, getting ready to walk through the studio doors because I did not feel like teleporting. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Aren’t we also not allowed in there?” Luke questioned, trying to make it seem like I was breaking the rules too. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Actually,” I responded not turning to look at him. “Julie trusts me in her room, it’s you guys she doesn’t trust.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s not fair!” I heard Reggie whine as I walked out the studio door. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I decided to ignore the comment and headed towards the house. I walked through the door and sneakily grabbed Julie’s laptop from the living room. I could see her dad in the kitchen going through some papers, and so I tried to discreetly go up the stairs so he wouldn’t notice the floating laptop. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The door to Julie’s room was open, so I walked inside and closed the door behind me. Julie showed me how to cue up Netflix, so I put in the password and started up the show. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Only a couple of minutes into the second season of Pretty Little Liars, Reggie poofed into Julie’s room. I groaned internally, what does a girl have to do to get some peace? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you want?” I asked, not turning my eyes away from the screen. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Just checking up on you!” Reggie exclaimed. I could see him looking at me intently from the corner of my eye. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How’s your show?” He asked, when I didn’t answer him the first time. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s good,” I replied, still not taking my eyes off the screen. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What’s it about?” He asked, genuinely interested. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Okay, this I don’t mind being interrupted about. I quickly paused the show and turned my full body towards Reggie, and gave him the whole run down on the show. He kept nodding appropriately and seemed genuinely invested in what I was saying. Just as I was about to tell him my guesses for who ‘A’ is, he cut me off and rudely poofed out of the room, saying he had to go back to rehearsing with Luke. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Well that was rude, but I shoved it off. I got back into my comfortable position on the bed, and returned to watching the show. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - -</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A few hours later, Julie came barreling through the door of her room and flopped on the bed. Just narrowly missing me. I quickly stopped the show, and moved the laptop over to her dresser, and took in Julie’s experience. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She looked both calmer, and more upset than earlier, I mean, how is that possible? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey Julie,” I greeted startling the girl. “I heard you got back into the music program congratulations!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thanks,” she responded and managed to muster a tiny smile. Despite that she still looked sad. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Did something happen?” I asked, not wanting to invade her privacy, but I wanted to help my new friend. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Did the guys not tell you?” She questioned, looking miserable. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Probably not, because they basically just boasted about being seen when they came back, cuz they’re extra,” I stated, rolling my eyes for effect. “I used extra correctly, right?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie may have taught me slang, but I don’t really know how to use it. The genuine smile that landed on her face from it though, suggested it was a good move to make. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah you did,” she replied before signing and sitting up in bed to face me properly. “Flynn and I got in a fight,” she explained , looking sad again. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh I’m sorry,” I responded, looking at her. I went to hold her hand for support but I just phased through. “What happened?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, I couldn’t tell her the guys weren’t hologram’s,” Julie described, sharing the whole conversation that happened with Flynn after she talked to her teacher. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When she was finished explaining, I nodded, and contemplated my answer. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I know that you said she’ll think you’re crazy if you tell her that four ghosts just popped into your life,” I started, trying to ponder the best advice. “But, if she’s really your best friend, I think she’ll listen,” Julie looked like she was about to interrupt but I continued quickly, “obviously just saying it wouldn’t be enough, but if you could figure out how to show her we are here without her being able to use ‘holograms’ as an excuse, she’d have to believe you.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie contemplated, what I had to say, before we could hear the sounds of guitars coming from the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What’s that?” She asked, looking at me puzzled. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The guys,” I answered, rolling my eyes. “I told them, not to play when people were home. They didn’t listen.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie looked annoyed and rightfully so. She quickly got off her bed and made her way towards the door. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you coming?” She questioned, gesturing towards the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh definitely!” I exclaimed, jumping off the bed and accompanying her in the direction of the garage. “I love watching them get bitched out.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie and I quickly arrived at the studio, and made our way inside. Reggie and Luke were playing a melody on their guitars and creating music. I gotta say, the sound wasn’t bad, but Julie didn’t look impressed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Guys, you aren’t supposed to be out here playing alone,” Julie lectured the two.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke and Reggie immediately stopped playing their instruments, and turned towards the two of us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But we’re not alone,” Reggie explained, as Luke swung his arm around Reggie’s neck as he continued “because we always have each other.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ugh,” Julie groaned, rolling her eyes and unplugging Reggie’s bass. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But- but we had the volume on level one!” Luke exclaimed, as Julie walked around him towards his amp. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But we rocked it on level ten!” Reggie exclaimed, beaming at Julie. “Want us to play it again?”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie responded by unplugging Luke’s amp too. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I really don’t think she does,” Luke whispered, to Reggie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I rolled my eyes at the two, and walked over to stand beside Julie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’ve actually been waiting for you to get home!” Luke explained, gesturing to himself and Reggie before turning to look at Julie. “Okay so, we had a band meeting earlier, and we have some pretty big news to tell you.” Luke gestured to Reggie, and I stifled a laugh as Reggie patted his legs excitedly, “we wanna invite you to join Sunset Curve! And no- you’re not dreaming.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I actually did scoff at the last part. Typical Luke, thinking that being in his band is the best offer in the world. I couldn’t help but feel bad though, as the boys were boosting with excitement and Julie didn’t look like she was really into the idea. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh,” Julie replied, looking a little sad again. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh-h? She ugh sh-e said o-o-h” Luke stuttered, looking at Reggie and I before fixing his gaze back on Julie. “Oh is what you say when you get a pair of socks on Christmas. Not when you’re invited to join the most epic band ever!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sorry, I’m honoured,” Julie apologized, looking a bit awkward. “But I can’t think about anything but Flynn right now. She’s still mad at me for lying- she hasn’t even texted me back!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, your in a tough spot,” Luke reasoned as Reggie chorused him with a ‘yup,’ Luke asked again, “so you wanna join the band?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Read the room dude,” Julie scoffed before walking back towards the door. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Not cool,” I scolded before moving to join Julie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, c’mon!” Luke argued, stopping Julie in her tracks, which made me stop as well. “We need you, and you need us because you need music. We found this poem that you wrote, and Reggie, and I, we added this really cool melody to it!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke and Reggie started smiling, as Lukepulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Where did you find that?” Julie questioned harshly, stepping towards Luke. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Definitely not in your dream box,” Luke countered before pulling Reggie in front of him and running around the piano. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie followed him, and I know that an argument commenced, but I wasn’t paying attention to it. They got it from her dream box- the only time they could have done that, is when I was in their watching my show. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I fixed my gaze on Reggie and glared daggers at him. I could see his smile slowly fall off his face from my gaze, but I didn’t care. He was distracting me! That’s why he asked me about the show! Not because he was interested in it or just genuinely wanted to talk to me, but because he wanted to help Luke steal the song. Fuming, I stomped over to the couch, and drowned everyone out. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I only came back to the present when I felt Luke and Reggie sitting on either side of me. Luke tried to put him arm around my shoulder but I scoffed, and pushed him away. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What are you made about?” Luke asked, I just rolled my eyes at him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, what did we do to you?” Reggie added. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I jumped off the couch and stood in front of them, staring daggers at the two. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t know Reginald,” I snarked, at them. They flinched from the bite in my tone. “When did you get the poem out of Julie’s dream box?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh!” Reggie exclaimed, smiling at me. “Luke got it when I was talking to you about your show and-“ </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke hit Reggie on his arm, cutting him off. At first it looked like Reggie was going to complain, but when Luke fixed his gaze between myself and Reggie, he got it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ohhh,” Reggie mused, turning to look at me. “I did actually want to hear about your show y/n! I wasn’t just distracting you I promise! You know that I love talking to you!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah,” Luke added when I didn’t look convinced. “We would never hurt you or use you like that. We also just wanted to avoid getting yelled at, which didn’t work out I guess since we still got yelled at by both you and Julie anyways.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I rolled my eyes at the two, still upset. The guys shared, a look, and then a smile and turned towards me with the same gleam in their eyes. I took a step back, I don’t know what those two are planning. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Reggie and Luke came running at me from both sides. I didn’t have time to react until the tackled me to the ground and started tickling me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Guys- guys- st-op,” I wheezed, pinned to the ground and struggling to breath from all the laughter. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Not until you say you forgive us!” Luke countered, smiling playfully at me from where he was tickling my sides. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ne-ever” I stuttered, trying to kick out and stop the attack. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Then I guess we’re never stopping,” Reggie mused, avoiding my kicks and tickling my other side. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually, I gave up. I was laughing so hard that tears were coming down my face, and I was finding it very difficult to breath. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, okay, you’re forgiven,” I conceded, trying to roll away from them. “Let me go you heathens.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The tickling stopped immediately, but the guys didn’t let me go right away. My shirt had ridden up a bit from all the excitement, and Luke was slowly tracing my side while Reggie was staring transfixed, at where my bra was exposed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay; that’s enough of that,” I ordered, swatting the boys away from me and pulling myself up from the ground. I headed back towards the couch and laid down, feeling tired from all the energy I just exhausted. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This caused Reggie and Luke to snap out of it, and they headed towards the piano to continue working on the song they stole from Julie. I just closed my eyes and listened to their banter and ideas. I didn’t fall asleep, but still, I felt very peaceful at the moment. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - -</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I don’t know how long, I just laid on the couch in the studio, and listen to the boys put together a complete song. I always loved watching their process, and providing suggestions when I can. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">My peace was disturbed as I heard Reggie exclaim “oh hey man, where ya been!”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I opened my eyes and sat up on the couch, to see my brother had appeared back in the studio and was sitting on top of the piano. He had a huge smile on his face, and I couldn’t help but feel relieved that he wasn’t feeling anxious anymore.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um, kind of everywhere,” Alex explained looking at Reggie. “Yeah, no, I met a new ghost friend!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Well that was interesting, obviously the others thought so too as Reggie’s eyes widened. I got up and walked over to join them all over by the piano. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“For real?” Reggie asked, totally mind blown.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, he answered a ton of questions,” Alex answered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, like whether Julie’s going to join the band or not?” Luke questioned, aggressively pulling the sheet music he was working on out from underneath Alex. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah well, we didn’t really get to that,” Alex responded, studying Luke’s face, before turning back to look at Reggie and I “but I think I know why we’re here! Okay, all ghosts have like, unfinished business. So we need to do our unfinished business, so that we can cross over.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie and I nodded along with Alex, agreeing with his sentiment. But Luke didn’t seem to think so. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why would we do that?” Luke questioned.Everyone turned to stare at him. “I’m just saying, this is our second chance. All we gotta do is to get Julie to play with us.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah,” Reggie agreed, now nodding along with Luke. “Not only can that girl sing, but she can write too. Luke and I made a killer melody, to one of her lyrics.” Then Reggie gestured for Luke to show Alex. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh,” Alex said, after getting handed the music sheet. “Without your drummer? Cool.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Drumming is so nineties okay,” Luke argued, patting Alex on the shoulder. He started stomping his feet. “We’re just going to stomp our feet now.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay,” Alex agreed, nodding his head sarcastically. Ooooo, Luke’s gonna get it. “Well, you know what else is so nineties? Being rude.Alright Get woke, these are sensitive times.” And he pushed the notebook back into Luke’s chest. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I learned that from my ghost friend,” Alex whispered to Reggie and I. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Woke, that’s a cool word,” Reggie reasoned. “What does it mean?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No clue,” Alex answered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I smirked, I knew exactly what it means, I’m just not going to tell them. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, I saw Julie’s friend Flynn walk past the studio doors. My curiosity peaked, I poofed out of the studio and followed the girl around. I saw her look around for Julie as she stood under the girls window. While she was looking around, I saw Julie approach and she exclaimed</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Flynn! What are you doing here? I’ve been looking all over for you!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flynn turned around to face her before responding, “clearly not everywhere because here I am.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ve been texting you all day,” Julie countered walking towards Flynn, who was moving closer to her as well. “The least you could have done is text me back.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I sent a poop emoji,” Flynn answered. “I think it said everything. I was just leaving this,” Flynn said as she pulled a t-shirt that said ‘Double Trouble’ out of her bag. “I won’t need it anymore.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie grabbed onto the shirt, but didn’t accept it, “I’m not taking it,” Julie said forcefully, pushing the shirt back into Flynn’s chest. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Fine,” Flynn reasoned. “Then my dad can wash his car with it. Though will all this betrayal on it, might scratch his paint.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Look,” Julie sighed. “I’m very sorry for not telling you, but I need you to know how important you are to me. There’s no way I would’ve made it through this year if it wasn’t for you.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yet, it was three strangers who got you back into music,” Flynn accused, looking upset. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I tried to stay quiet, I really did, I shouldn’t even be watching this, but Julie didn’t motion for me to leave. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You should really tell her we’re ghosts,” I said looking at Julie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She just glared over Flynn’s shoulder at me, before listening to her friend continue, “I don’t need someone in my life who lies and keeps things from me. Goodbye Julie.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Flynn went to walk away, I motioned to the girl and said “tell her.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“They’re ghosts!” Julie exclaimed, stopping Flynn from walking away. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?” Flynn questioned, looking alarmed. I mean to be fair, any sane person would be. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The boys in my band,” Julie explained, looking to me for reassurance before staring at Flynn. “They aren’t holograms, they’re ghosts. And when we play together people can see them.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you mean ghosts? The kind that, rattled chains and go boo?” Flynn countered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Stereotypes,” I muttered, thankfully Julie heard me and repeated it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” Julie answered, “and I’m pretty sure that’s just a hurtful ghost stereotype.” I nodded my consent to this as Julie continued, “these guys are just normal dead dudes. Well- Reggie’s a little questionable.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I laughed, and caused a smile to appear on Julie’s face. I mean she’s not wrong, he is a little bit odd. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flynn immediately pulled out her phone and started typing on it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Who are you texting?” Julie demanded. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re dad,” Flynn answered continuing the motion. “He told me to text him if I was worried about you,” she stopped at looked up at Julie. “And um I’m worried. You’re seeing things Jules.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie got fed up, and snatched the phone from Flynn’s hand. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Alright,” Julie conceded. “So you wanna be difficult? Meet me in my moms studio in thirty minutes, and I’ll prove to you, that I’m not crazy. And please, don’t text my dad.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You have thirty minutes,” Flynn agreed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie sighed, out of frustration or relief I couldn’t tell. Then she looked down at Flynn’s bag and saw the contents inside. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Eggs?” Julie questioned. “Why did you bring eggs?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flynn quickly bent down to retrieve her bag and zip it up. “Oh um,” she stammered. “No, naw, see I grabbed those by mistake. It’s not like I was going to throw them at your bedroom window or anything.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie sighed and walked away from Flynn. “Thirty minutes!” Flynn reminded before sitting down on the porch and pulling out her phone. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I debated following Julie, but I thought that someone should keep an eye on Flynn. Besides, she was playing this game called Angry Birds? It was fascinating to watch her pull these birds back on a sling shot and kill pigs. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Time flew by watching and all of a sudden Flynn stood up and marched towards the garage doors. She knocked, and we waited for Julie to open it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thanks for coming,” Julie greeted Flynn. “We just wanted to rehearse the song, so it was perfect, which it’s not, but whatever.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” Flynn argued. “If I’m going to hear a song, from your imaginary ‘ghost band’ I want it to be perfect. So get back in there, all of you.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Funnily enough, Flynn pointed directly at me when she said “you too”, but I’m not in the band. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie laughed, and told her friend “they’re not out here. Well, y/n is, you just pointed to her. She’s one of the guys sisters by the way.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh sweetie,” Flynn said before patting Julie on the shoulder and marching forth into the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie sighed at me while I just shrugged, and we both followed Flynn into the studio. I settled myself down on the couch to watch the performance. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Alright guys, you ready?” Julie asked the boys. They all nodded affirmations. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Can you ask your friend to move?” Reggie asked. “I need some space to rock out, and it’s weird walking through people.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie relayed this message to Flynn who conceded and sat in a chair. Julie moved around to the piano, and addressed Flynn. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The guys took a poem that I wrote about you, and put it to music,” Julie explained, as she sat behind the keys. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Awe, I wish that I didn’t have to talk to your dad after this,” Flynn replied. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie laughed. “It’s called, ‘Flying Solo,’ I hope you like it.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie started the chords of the song, and I loved hearing it fully for the first time. The guys did a really good job putting the song together, and Julie’s voice was powerful as ever. It was hilarious to watch Flynn’s reactions though, especially when Luke scared her. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">During the song when Julie was walking Flynn around, I swear the girl looked straight at me, but I shrugged it off. After Julie agreed to join the band, or rather for the guys to join her band, the newly formed band finished the song in a flourish. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Still want to talk to my dad?” Julie asked sarcastically, after the final notes had faded. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Naw I’m good,” Flynn responded as everyone laughed and Julie and Flynn hugged. Then Flynn pulled back and pointed at me, “and that’s y/n right?” She asked, making everyone in the room look between Flynn and I. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You can see her?” Julie asked Flynn at the same time, the boys all turned to me and asked “she can see you?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah obviously,” Flynn responded, looking confused. “She appeared right when the guys did. Am I not supposed to?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Y/n,” Alex asked, cutting the silence that had filled the air after Flynn’s question. “Could anyone see you at the rally?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Maybe?” I responded, trying to look everywhere but at my brother. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The guys had stopped playing, and Flynn suddenly declared “I can’t see any ghosts anymore!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie promptly took Flynn inside, stating that they were going to have some ‘best friend time’ leaving me alone, to deal with the boys all looking at me as if I betrayed them. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why didn’t you tell us?” Reggie asked, moving to sit beside me on the couch. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I quickly jumped up, I didn’t want that. I started doing my own runway walk, similar to Alex’s but more bouncy, because I tried not to focus on it when it happened earlier, and now it’s happening again and I don’t understand it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It didn’t make sense okay!” I all but yelled at the three of them. “Look, I’m not good with change either alright? I’m not in the band, it doesn’t make any sense as to why living people can see me, besides Julie because obviously she can just see ghosts or something. But I wasn’t playing with you guys, and I was confused, thinking the guy at the gym probably was talking to someone else.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sis, breathe,” Alex said walking towards me. </span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I ignored him and continued on, “look I’m sorry for not telling you, but this whole thing is kind of freaking me out. And I have no idea of what my unfinished business is. I don’t want to play on stage and be big and famous, so there’s really no need for me to stay here!”</span>
</p><p class="p2"><br/>At the confession I quickly shut my mouth. I looked up to see that all the guys were looking at me with a hurt expression. I knew it was about my admission of wanting to move on and not stay here like the rest of them. I couldn’t take the looks anymore; so I teleported myself away before anyone could say or do anything to stop me.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I didn’t plan for this story to suddenly start moving quicker. But, I ain’t mad at it. Hope you like the chapter! Comments and kudo’s are appreciated!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I shouldn’t have been surprised that Alex came and found me at the park. I had only been gone maybe around five minutes, before he showed up and sat on the bench beside me. We sat in silence for a while, neither knowing what to say. Until, I eventually just had to break it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m sorry,” I whispered, not daring to look my brother in the eyes. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why are you sorry, bug?” Alex asked, grabbing my hand and turning me to face him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I felt tears stinging my eyes, I didn’t want them to come out, they just did. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s all just too much,” I whimpered, moving into my brother’s arms, who wrapped me up into a tight hug. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">My body was wracked with sobs as Alex rubbed my back, and helped calm me down. He waited until my breathing evened out and then loosened his hold on me. Still keeping one arm around my back he asked, </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What’s going on with you? You’ve been off ever since we came back. You’ve had anxiety as long as I have, but your reactions haven’t been this severe since I came out to our parents.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I wiped the few tears still staining my cheeks before I responded, “there’s a lot that I’ve been keeping in Alex. I want to talk to you about it, but I don’t want to worry or upset you.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex tilted my head up so that I could look into his eyes as he reassured me, “I will always be worried about you. I’m your older brother. But I love you y/n, and you can’t keep everything bottled up forever.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I sighed and gave my brother another quick hug before I sat back, fidgeting with my hands as I finally addressed everything that I’ve been feeling. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, for starters, it’s weird being a ghost. I’m not so anxious about that part though, it’s more of the added ‘ghost abilities’ that I don’t understand,” I paused and when Alex nodded for me to continue, I did. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It some weird way, it makes sense that you guys have a connection to music. That when you play music with someone who’s alive you can also be seen. I just don’t really understand how I fit into it.” I continued. “Sure, I’ve helped with some lyrics before, but I didn’t even help write the two songs that were played. It’s just overwhelming.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t have all the answers either bug,” Alex answered. “I wish that I could tell you why we can be seen by lifers- that’s what my ghost friend Willie says the lingo is by the way,- or how you fit into that, but I can’t. What I can tell you, is that you are the one who encouraged me to play the drums in the first place, so I think part of my music, comes from you.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I smiled at the memory. Alex and I had been twelve years old. I was constantly tired of him tapping a beat into every surface imaginable. Chairs, desks, his thighs, and it was a constant. Finally, I had convinced Alex that he should really ask dad for a set of drums. It’d give him an outlet for all his nervous energy. I think that was the best advice I had ever given him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Maybe,” I replied. “I just don’t really understand what I’m supposed to do about it. If people can see me when you play, that means I’ll randomly appear and disappear like you guys. No one can see that otherwise they’d freak out. Julie can’t play me off as a hologram.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’ll figure something out,” Alex reasoned. “I have to have my number one fan to cheer me on! Maybe you’ll just have to join the band.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I scoffed and hit Alex lightly on the shoulder. “Yeah okay, sure. What would I do exactly Alex? I couldn’t play piano, or any kind of guitar, and I can’t sing.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s not really true though,” Alex argued. “You can sing, you choose not to. And you bailed on trying to learn an instrument when we were thirteen because you got bored. Not because you couldn’t. Hell, if you paid attention when Luke or Reggie tried to teach you their instruments, then you’d be an expert by now!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I flushed at the mention of those particular instrument learning sessions. You can’t really blame me for being unable to pay attention! Luke has really nice arms okay! And Reggie, he sits so close, and I can smell the leather of his jacket. It’s just- it’s distracting alright? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex, always keen to pick up on others emotions and facial features, studied me quietly. After a couple of seconds, he asked the question that I was avoiding, because I knew exactly what he was alluding at. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There’s more that you need to tell me, isn’t there?” Alex questioned, giving me a pointed look as if you say ‘you better tell me the truth.’ </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wellll,” I squeaked, trying to calm the anxiety I could feel spiking. Lowering my voice I continued, “I may have a secret?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Who is it?” Alex questioned, already picking up on the fact that I had a crush. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um, well, you see,” I mumbled, trying to find the words, before they all spilled out at once “Ikindamaybehaveacrushonbothofthem?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You what!?” Alex exclaimed. “Jeez, Luke I can see. He has nice arms and a very passionate personality. But Reggie too?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey!” I argued. “Don’t judge Reginald. He is adorable, kind, funny, he knows how to read me and he’s smart in his own way. And I’ll have you know that Luke isn’t all just looks or passion either. He’s fiercely protective, a lyrical mastermind, great at distracting me when I have bad days, honest, and outspoken.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wow,” Alex breathed. “You really, like them, don’t you?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Since we were fourteen,” I responded, trying my best not to look at him. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex sighed, “why didn’t you tell me sooner?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I gave him a look that said really? “You didn’t tell me you dated Luke,” I bit back, before heaving my own sigh. “Look Alex, I love you dearly, but you tend to go all big brother on me whenever I spend time with the boys alone. If you knew I liked them, I thought you wouldn’t let me spend as much time with you all.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex had a hurt expression on his face, from my confession. “I’m just trying to look out for you!” He defended. “Did you really think I would do that to you? Or that I wouldn’t support you? Even if you did get in a relationship with them?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I scoffed, “Alex let’s be real. Neither of them even like me in that way. I didn’t see the point in talking about the crushes, if I knew nothing would ever happen. The only reason I’m even telling you, is because I’m around them all the time now. It’s harder to keep my feelings to myself.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex gave me a pitying look, and muttered “clueless,” under his breath, before I changed the subject. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Speaking of the guys,” I ventured. “Where are they? The last time I disappeared, Luke told me they looked for me for hours until giving up and realizing that I would come back to the studio when I was ready.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I told them to wait at the studio, I didn’t want you to get overwhelmed,” Alex answered. Then realizing what I said, probed, “wait last time? You’ve done this before? When? What? Where was I?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ughhh,” I stammered, realizing I just exposed myself. “So, maybe I didn’t catch you up on everything yet,” I mumbled as I rubbed a hand on my neck. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Explain, now,” Alex demanded, leaving no room for argument. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So, um, remember the night of the truth or dare game?” I asked, Alex nodded so I continued. “Well, Luke asked me who I liked better, him or Reg. I freaked out because I thought he figured out I had crushes on them, and I didn’t know what to do. In a panic, I poofed out of the studio and went to a secluded spot on the beach. I stayed there all night.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Soo, when the guys told me you went on a morning walk?” Alex questioned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, they covered for me,” I admitted. “I guess they didn’t want to make you freak out either, which by the way was the reason I came back when I did.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Y/n!” Alex yelled, getting up in front of me to pace. “You can’t just keep disappearing like that! I understand that you get panicked. I really do and you know that! But what if I did that to you and the others? You would be so pissed at me!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m sorry!” I yelled back. “I’m working on it okay? I know that I can’t keep running away forever, but hey it’s worked so far right?” I tried to joke, it didn’t land with Alex. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Promise me, you won’t just disappear anymore,” Alex begged me, walking towards me and putting his hands on my shoulders staring into my eyes. “Promise me bug.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, Lex. I promise. I’ll tell you where I’m going- before I run away,” I stated. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex groaned, “sis, you can’t avoid things forever.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But I can try,” I joked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“C’mon,” Alex said, grabbing my hand and pulling me off the bench. “Your lover boys are probably worrying about you back at the studio. Let’s get you home.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Please don’t call them that,” I whined, letting Alex teleport us back to the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - - </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After Alex and I went back to the studio, the two other ghosts immediately gave me their own lecture, about running away and not talking about my problems. Eventually, they had settled down and we had a quiet movie night in the garage. The Molina’s had a tv in the studio, so it was easy for us to relax and just enjoy our time together as a chosen family. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day was a Saturday, and therefore Julie didn’t have school. She didn’t have any plans for the weekend, so she was spending it with us. Giving herself and the boys the opportunity to bond as a band. She found the four of us squeezed together on the couch in the studio, currently half way through ‘Lilo and Stitch.’</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Did you guys spend all night watching Disney movies?” Julie asked, entering the studio. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t judge us!” Alex exclaimed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We don’t sleep,” I offered, as an explanation to Julie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And we have a lot of Disney movies to catch up on,” Reggie noted. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Besides, Disney was always y/n’s favourite,” Luke added, smiling at me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie held her hands up in surrendered. “I wasn’t judging you guys!” She reassured. “Sucks, that you can’t sleep though. God knows I need my beauty rest.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Lies Molina!” I shouted. Everyone turned to look at me but I shushed them. “You could roll out of bed looking fierce.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thanks queen,” Julie responded, holding her hand out for an air fist bump. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie then promptly grabbed the remote and shut the tv off. She received a chorus of groans from the rest of us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But Julie, it wasn’t over,” Reggie whined. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s band bonding time,” Julie argued. “C’mon guys. We really don’t know much about each other. Well, I don’t know you well and you don’t know me.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m not in the band, I don’t know why I can’t keep watching,” I grumbled. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Not you complaining,” Julie reprimanded me. “Besides, you have an addiction to movies and TV shows. Don’t think I didn’t notice how you already made it half way through season two of PLL even though you’ve only been watching it for two days,” I flushed at the accusation. “Some distance from the media would be good for you,” Julie finished. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you suggest we do then?” Alex asked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s play a game!” Luke suggested. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I groaned, “what is it with you guys and all these games? Can’t you not torture me for once?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">My question was met with a chorus of “no’s.” So alas, we all sat in a circle on the floor and decided which game to play. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We could play truth or dare again?” Reggie offered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” Alex shot down. “I’m not mentally prepared for that game again.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ah yes, sometimes, having a brother came in handy. Game suggestions were thrown out left and right, until we finally settled on ‘never have I ever.’ Julie explained the game, describing that each player takes a turn stating something they’ve never done, if a person has done it, they put down a finger. The first player to zero fingers wins. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ll start us off,” Julie said. “Never have I ever... been arrested.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I didn’t even need to look, to know that both Reggie and Luke had put down a finger each. Julie however; stared at the two shocked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, I’m going to need you to explain,” Julie stated, looking at the two. “Am I letting criminal ghosts stay in my garage?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We didn’t do anything that bad,” Reggie reasoned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It was a minor lapse in judgment,” Luke offered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“They got drunk on Reggie’s seventeenth birthday and got caught with public indecency when the idiots decided to go streaking,” Alex explained, wrinkling his nose at the pair. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I hadn’t been there for it, but Alex explained it all to me, when I caught him sneaking out of the house at 2am with a fake ID to go pick the idiots up. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Interesting,” Julie noted, staring at the two boys who didn’t look sheepish in the slightest. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“My turn!” I exclaimed. “Never have I ever... kissed Luke.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was a cheap shot, and I knew it. But the look on Julie’s face was priceless as both Reggie and Alex put fingers down. She didn’t ask them to elaborate this time, so it moved on to Reggie. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, so we’re playing dirty are we?” Reggie questioned, sending me a look. “Alright, never have I ever.... laughed so hard I peed my pants as a teenager.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I glared at Reggie, as I begrudgingly put my finger down. “Evil,” I muttered, so that only Reggie could hear. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“My turn!” Luke smirked. “Never have I ever... came prematurely.” Alex flushed bright pink, and slowly lowered a finger.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can never unknow this information,” I whined, moving to lean my forehead on Julie’s shoulder but I just phased through. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Everyone else just laughed at me, bar Alex, who looked even more uncomfortable than I did. But then.. it was Alex’s turn. And by the wink he sent at me, I wasn’t gonna like it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Never have I ever...” Alex started, looking around the room, “ currently had a crush on someone in this room.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I glared daggers at my brother, as I lowered my finger. What caught my attention however; was that both Reggie and Luke did the same. I stared at them in shock. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wait, wait, wait,” Julie exclaimed, looking at the three of us. “Who do you guys like?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah who do you two like?” I chorused at the guys. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, who do you like?” Luke shot back. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I didn’t want to tell the truth... but lying seemed mean. But, if I made it up, maybe I’d find out? What if Luke still had feelings for Alex? Oh gosh, what if Reggie had feelings for Alex? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Obviously Julie,” I replied staring Luke down. “She’s the superior one here.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alex shook his head at me, but I ignored him. It seemed like everyone else believed it... well, Julie didn’t look to convinced either but she went along with it.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Awe! Thanks babe,” Julie replied smiling at me. “If you weren’t dead maybe I would date you.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Julie and I laughed, but none of the boys looked amused. Alex was still judging me for lying, and both Luke and Reggie were pointedly ignoring me. Weird, but okay?</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sooo,” I drawled, gaining the attention of the room. “I answered, now you. Who do you guys like?”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Not telling,” Luke scoffed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Me either,” Reggie mumbled. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I rolled my eyes at the two, but conceded. It’s not like I had genuinely answered the question. So we continued on with the game, and Julie was next. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Never have I ever.. kissed anyone!” Julie declared, making all the boys groan as they put down a finger. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took a second, but when the guys realized I didn’t put down one of my own, the questions followed immediately. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Seriously?” Alex asked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wait, you’ve never kissed anyone?” Luke questioned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why haven’t you kissed anyone?” Reggie added. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Jeez guys,” I said laughing awkwardly. “No one comments on the fact that Julie hasn’t kissed anyone, but when it’s me, not having had a first kiss is taboo?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No, no,” Luke muttered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’re just surprised,” Reggie explained. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I definitely thought you had kissed someone,” Alex answered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Pray tell Alex, who would I have kissed?” I countered. “It’s not like I’ve ever dated anyone, and I was never as social as the rest of you.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You all bicker a lot,” Julie noted, laughing awkwardly at the silence that had follow my statement. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I laughed along with her, and soon all of us were laughing. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Alright, that’s enough of my lack of a dating or kissing life. It’s my turn,” I said, and received nods in agreement. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - - </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The game continued on for a while, with a lot of things getting revealed about everyone. Eventually, Luke lost. It makes sense, from everyone I know, he’s the most likely to have done something. He’s confident and outgoing, plus more often than not he can be reckless. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the game finished, Julie and Luke decided to work on some songs, and Alex had decided to go try and find his new ghost friend. That left Reggie and I with nothing to do. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you want to go see what Julie’s dad and brother are up to?” Reggie asked me, nudging me with his elbow. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why not?” I answered, nudging him back before we teleported into the house.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The first lifer we found, was Julie’s dad. He was sitting at the dining room table going through photos he had taken. Reggie and I walked over together to investigate his work. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“These are really good,” Reggie commented.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“They are,” I agreed. “Her dads a photographer right?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Makes sense if he is,” Reggie responded. “This dude has some skills though!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Look!” I exclaimed, pointing to the bottom of the screen. “It says Ray Molina, that must be his name. Now we don’t have to call him Julie’s dad.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ray that’s a good name!” Reggie replied. “Well, Ray already seemed like a kind soul when he walked through me. I bet he’s an amazing father too.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“If he wasn’t Julie probably would have told us,” I reasoned. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“C’mon, let’s go walk around,” Reggie suggested grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the table. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Should we really invade the privacy of Julie’s house more than we already have?” I asked, but I let myself be dragged anyways. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Please,” Reggie scoffed. “I’d hardly call a house private. Maybe their bedrooms, but common areas should be fine.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“If you’re sure,” I sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie led me into the kitchen and then dropped my hand. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed at the loss of contact. I watched as Reggie continuously tried to open a cupboard with no luck. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can’t do it!” Reggie whined. “You try y/n, you’re better at picking up stuff then the rest of us.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Even though I wasn’t even slightly interested in what the Molina’s keep in their pantry, I tried to open it anyways. I was surprised when I grabbed ahold of the handle on my first attempt and easily opened it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How do you even do that?” Reggie asked, staring at me in bewilderment. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I just focused on it. Maybe you should work on your focusing skills Reg.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie ignored me, and decided to look through the cupboard. I wasn’t surprised to find the contents boring. There was pasta sauce, apple sauce, crackers, cookies, and a bunch of other assortments of food. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Man I miss eating,” Reggie grumbled. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Me too,” I replied, patting his back encouragingly. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not long after, Reg got bored of looking at all the food in the kitchen and promptly pulled me around the rest of the house to search fo Julie’s younger brother. When we couldn’t find him, we decided to head back down to the living room to hangout, not wanting to invade anyways privacy. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey Reg, can I ask you something?” I prompted, sitting on the couch in Julie’s living room. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sure what’s up?” Reggie asked, sitting down beside me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Who is it that you have a crush on?” I questioned, really wanting to know the answer. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie went beat red. If I wasn’t so anxious to hear what he had to say, I would find it endearing. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No comment,” Reggie mumbled, staring at the ceiling intently. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“C’mon Reggieee,” I drawled, knocking our shoulders together lightly. “We’re friends right? Friends share secrets?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t wanna say,” Reggie said, still avoiding eye contact with me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why not?” I whined. “Is it Alex? If you have a crush on my brother I totally won’t feel weird about it. You can like whoever you want!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What!” Reggie exclaimed, whipping his head around so he could stare at me. “I definitely do not have a crush on your brother.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I raised my hands in defeat. “Hey, hey, okay I get it. It’s not Alex. Who then?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why do you want to know?” Reggie asked. “Don’t you like Julie?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I wish I had thought, before I opened my mouth. “Oh that was a lie,” I laughed. “I like Julie a lot, just not more than a friend. Maybe in another lifetime, but she’s not the person I have a crush on.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As soon as I had finished responding, I realized my mistake. None of the boys can ever really let things go, and now that I admitted to Reg that I lied? He’ll bother me until I confess to at least one of my crushes. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What!?” Reggie exclaimed. “Who do you have a crush on then? Is it Luke? It’s probably Luke.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I didn’t really know how to respond. It’s not really a fair question. Reggie can’t keep a secret, so I can’t tell him it’s Luke, and I can’t tell him, I like him for obvious reasons. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I didn’t mean to say that,” I mumbled, trying to stall. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, I know you didn’t,” Reggie replied. “But you still did. So just tell me! If you have a crush on Luke I promise I won’t get upset. I think you two would be cute together!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I started blushing as I tried to ponder how I should answer, I debated running away again, but Reggie expected that reaction by now and promptly grabbed my wrist so that if I poofed away, so would he. But then.. I fully realized what Reggie said. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why would you be upset if I liked Luke?” I asked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, um,” Reggie whispered, trying not to look at me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oooo, I get it,” I said. “You like him don’t you? Aw, Reg, that’s so cute. I support it!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Even though I was teasing him, I was really trying not to break down. Of course, one of my crushes likes the other. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No!” Reggie exclaimed. “Well... maybe?” He added. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It was the kiss huh?” I smirked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It was a very confusing kiss!” Reggie defended. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s okay to admit you like him Reg,” I supported. “You know that I would always be there for you guys no matter what. I mean we did die together. I think you should tell him though.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The advice giving was easy, I do think that Luke might like him back. He was pretty into the kiss they shared as well. But... I also don’t know how I would handle the reality of seeing the two together. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No, no. It would be weird,” Reggie replied, shaking his head at me. “I...” he hesitated. “I like someone else too, and it just wouldn’t be right. Besides, you like him. I would never hurt you like that.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Reggie,” I deadpanned. “We’re dead. Who else could you possibly like? Everyone we knew in life is old as shit by now. And if it’s Julie? I’m sorry to break it to you, but she doesn’t want to date a ghost. If you like him, you should just go for it.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But,” Reggie argued. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I sighed. Reggie was already gonna tell Luke that I liked him. I might as well fully confess. I couldn’t just date Luke it wouldn’t be fair to him. I’m in love with both of them, and if I can’t have them? At least they can have each other. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Reggie,” I started. “I.. I just want you to be happy. Both of you.” I hesitated before continuing. “I don’t just like Luke. I like you too. And you like him and yeah it hurts a bit, but I’ll be okay. I could never be with Luke, even if he did have feelings for me. It wouldn’t be fair to him because I like you just as much.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Throughout my confession, Reggie started to smile. Until it got bigger and bigger. Great. I thought he might actually take a conversation seriously for once. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Soo, you like me?” He clarified. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes,” I replied. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Great!” He exclaimed, before moving his hand from my wrist and shuffling closer to me. He placed his hand on my face instead. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As his face got closer I stuttered out, “Reg-Reggie? What are you do-ing?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Something I’ve wanted to do for years now,” he whispered, before his lips pressed against mine. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I froze for a second. His lips were soft against my own. A little chapped, but warm, as they pressed against mine. I can’t believe this is my first kiss! And then I realized.. I’m not kissing him back! </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just as Reggie moved to pull away, I grabbed the hair on the back of his head, and pressed our lips back together. Our lips worked together in sync, and when Reggie flicked his tongue against my bottom lip, I opened my mouth letting his tongue slide in to battle with mine. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I was so entranced by the kiss I was sharing with Reggie, I didn’t hear the appearance of someone else. That was until... </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What The Fuck?!” Luke shouted, tearing Reggie and I away from each other. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">My gaze shifted from Reggie’s shocked face and bruised lips over to Luke. He looked shocked and angry, but then they faded into a look of hurt. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Luke wait,” I pleaded, getting up and trying to move closer to where Luke was standing behind the couch. But it was too late. He was gone. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just a note for anyone who is reading my unexpected fic. It’s not abandoned, I’m still writing it! It’s just exam time right now so the motivation to write isn’t there. But I hope to continue it soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey Guys!!! So, I have come to a realization that college sucks because it inhibits my ability to focus on anything else except assignments. Good news is my exams went really well!! Anyways, I’m currently lacking ideas for this story &amp; I am going to take a break. Don’t know how long it’ll be, but eventually I’ll finish the story. That in mind, I felt guilty for leaving things off on a cliffhanger. Is this chapter shorter than usual? Yup. Is it the best I’ve ever written? Probably not. But I tried! Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Also, MERRY CHRISTMAS to anyone that celebrates, Happy Holidays for those who celebrate something else, &amp; well I hope you have a great day for anyone who doesn’t celebrate holidays! Take care, &amp; thanks for all your interests in this story! If you have any ideas of what you’d like to see moving forward, leave it in the comments, and also just comment anyways because I am not someone who is confident in their writing😂 kudos are appreciated as well. Anyways I’ve rambled enough, ENJOY!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I spent the rest of the day looking for Luke in vain. I checked his parents house, the Orpheum, some of the clubs he liked to frequent. But nothing. He obviously did not want to be found. Reggie couldn’t find him either, well I think so anyways. We haven’t really talked since the kiss. We should, but I wanted to focus on finding Luke first. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually, Luke did return to the garage, but he still avoided us. Focusing on writing music with Julie, and after they were done he would disappear like before. Luke basically set off a whole effect of everyone avoiding each other. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I didn’t want to tell Alex what happened, so every time he tried to corner me I would come up with an excuse and leave. Reggie wanted to talk to me, but I was avoiding that conversation too. And Julie? Well, I would spend time with Julie, until she started pressing about what was going on- that’s when I’d run from her too. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I am tired of running.. but my head is a mess of questions right now, and I don’t know if I’m ready to face any of the answers. The biggest of them all being... why did Luke run? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I’d love to think it’s just because he’s mad Reggie and I didn’t tell him that we liked each other.. but that would probably result in teasing. No, I think he likes Reg as I suspected, and he’s upset that he kissed me. Which is okay! Reggie and I haven’t talked about what we are yet, if those two want to be together they can! </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But basically, this is where we are stuck. Julie and Alex confused trying to get the story out of one of us, Luke avoiding Reg and I, &amp; I’m avoiding having a conversation with Reg that I’m not ready to have. I can’t prolong some of these talks much longer, can I? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> - - - </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> I poofed into the studio and I saw Reggie playing around with some riffs on his bass.He was in his element, but I could tell that he’s probably just as frustrated with the whole situation as I am- actually scratch that it’s definitely more because as soon as he noticed I was the one who entered the room he removed his bass strap from his shoulder and grabbed on my arm before I could move away. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nope, nu uh,” Reggie commanded as I struggled to release my arm and he pulled me over to the couch. “I don’t care if Luke still won’t talk to us, doesn’t stop the fact that we still have stuff to talk about.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do we really have to?” I whined, giving Reggie my best puppy eyes possible. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They were ineffective, he just gave them straight back to me, and well, there’s a reason I can’t tell Reggie no. I sighed in defeat and motioned for him to talk. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ya’know, I didn’t expect Luke to be the one to runaway first. That’s normally you,” he teased, trying to break the ice. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes, we’ve established I avoid my problems, I thought you wanted to talk about us, not Luke?” I replied sternly, but I couldn’t help but crack a smile. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So we kissed,” he stated bluntly, making my cheeks go red. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um yup,” I agreed. “So... what are we then?” I asked. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well what do you want to be?” Reggie countered, shuffling closer to me. “I enjoyed kissing you, I’d like to keep doing that.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reg slowly licked his lips as he said it, staring directly at mine. I tried in vain to not blush under the intensity of his stare. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Y-yeah I really want to keep kissing you too,” I stuttered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Can I kiss you now?” Reggie whispered, his lips just a breath away from mine.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Instead of giving a verbal response, I surged forward and connected our lips together. The electricity I felt surging through me at the contact was intense. I could get lost in the feeling. Reggie moved to deepen the kiss when we heard a loud cough in the background. We broke apart to find Luke staring directly at the wall behind us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So this,” Luke questioned, gesturing to the two of us. “Is a thing now?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I froze, I didn’t know what to say. Luke looked highly uncomfortable and as if he would flee at any moment. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes,” Reggie answered, grabbing my hand and squeezing it. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke took a moment to process the answer. I could see him school his facial expressions and plaster on a fake grin. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Cool,” Luke stated, finally turning to make eye contact with us. “I’m.. happy for you guys!” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thanks buddy!” Reggie exclaimed. “It all started with you anyways, so glad we have your support.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“</span>
  <span class="s2">Reggie,”</span>
  <span class="s1"> I hissed, slapping him on the shoulder. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Great, ‘it all started with you,’ not only is that not a good way to start the conversation we needed to have with Luke, but I can see from the corner of my eye that his face brightened significantly and there was cockiness in his steps as he moved closer to us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh?” Luke asked, faking an innocent tone. “It started with me? Tell me Reg, how did it start with me? Unless you’d care to enlighten me y/n?” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I stayed quiet, I’m not the best with my words. Besides, Reg looks far to excited to answer the question. Bless him for being the only person who faces things head on and lacking social cues. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, I figured out that y/n had a crush on you, but then she realized I did too. Then we were arguing over who should ask you out because we both also liked someone else, and then she confessed it was me, so I kissed her!” Reggie rambled, exposing our conversation from the other day. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke’s arrogant smirk continued to grow as Reggie explained, and I silently groaned. Way to put everything on the table Reg! </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Soo.... you like me?” Luke asked the two of us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Reggie nodded enthusiastically and I gave a very timid nod. Our feelings might be out there now, but Luke’s were still hidden. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It was the kiss, wasn’t it?” Luke asked, directing the question at Reg. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It was a very confusing kiss!” Reggie defending once again. “A good one though!” Reggie added after mild consideration. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you want me to kiss you again?” Luke asked, crowding into Reggie’s space. I didn’t even realize he had gotten closer to us. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I, um,” Reggie squeaked, as Luke moved to cup his cheek. Reggie moved his gaze towards me, and I gave his hand a squeeze to signal it was okay. So with a whispered “yes,” from Reggie, Luke moved forward and connecting their lips. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Their second kiss was even more passionate then the first. Luke crawled into Reggie’s lap, managing to not break the kiss or disturb Reg and I’s laced hands. It was hot. Reggie was squeezing my hand with a death grip as Luke pushed his tongue past his lips. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I watched the scene in front of me unabashedly. I mean.. who wouldn’t right? Plus, Reggie and I are a ‘something’ therefore it’s my right... right? </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After several minutes of a heated make out, Luke pulled back from Reggie. Both their breaths were laboured, but Reggie seemed unable to form any coherent thoughts. When Luke finally caught his breath he turned his gaze to me, and admittedly I gulped from the intense stare he was giving me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Your turn,” Luke stated, shifting his position on Reg as he turned to look fully at me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Without anytime to process what was happening, Luke was advancing on me in a similar way to Reggie. He cupped my cheek and crashed our lips together. I don’t even know how to describe the feeling of kissing Luke. He kisses in the same way that he plays music, with intensity and an insane amount of focus. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke bit my bottom lip and I gasped, giving his tongue access to my mouth. I succumbed to his touch and followed willingly. If kissing Reggie is like a thousand butterflies exploding, than kissing Luke is like a fire burning, only growing hotter as it continues. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I lost track of time as Luke threaded his fingers through my hair and continued to deepen the kiss. It felt like we had been kissing for hours and I never wanted it to stop, even if it had probably only been a couple of minutes. Eventually it did stop, as Luke pressed one last peck to my lips, and pulled away. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wow,” I whispered, not having the ability to say anything else. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Now, that was hot!” Reggie exclaimed, breaking me out of my glance at Luke. “Seriously, I thought kissing Luke or y/n was good, but watching you two is something else entirely.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke and I glanced at each other and laughed. “Thanks bud,” Luke replied, patting Reggie on the shoulder. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So..” I started not quite wanting to break the comfortable atmosphere we were in, but needing to know. “Not that I don’t enjoy kissing you guys, or watching you kiss, because I thoroughly do. But what exactly does this mean for all of us.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luke and Reggie looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation with their gazes that I wasn’t apart of. Seemingly they came to a decision and turned to me with smiles that best resembled the Cheshire Cat. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m not letting either of you go,” Luke answered shifting his gaze from both Reg and I. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re both mine,” Reggie stated and then added, “well I’m yours too.” As an afterthought. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So we’re all in this together?” I asked, reaching across with my free hand to grab Luke’s as well and give them both a squeeze. They nodded in agreement. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">We all shared smiles and a few more short kisses before we rearranged ourselves on the couch and snuggled up together. My head was on Reg’s lap, my legs draped across Luke, and Luke’s arm swung around Reggie’s back. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">We all sat in a comfortable silence for a little bit, before a thought came to my mind and I sat up breaking our cuddle pile as I moved to sit beside Luke instead. I smirked at the two. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Which one of you is telling my brother?” I questioned, raising my eyebrow at them intriguingly. They both tensed, as I knew they would. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“NOT IT!” Reggie shouted, standing up from the couch in a panic. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m not telling him either!” Luke countered, following Reg and pushing at his chest. “You tell Alex, you kissed his sister first! Therefore it’s your responsibility.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nope, nuh uh,” Reggie rebounded shoving his own finger into Luke’s chest. “You’re the one who kissed us both and made us all officially. And you’re closer to Alex than I am and better with words! It should be you.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“DUDE, he’ll kill me!” Luke exclaimed. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re already dead,” I assured. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Not helping,” Luke muttered. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was then that the two decided to quit their bickering and turn their attention to me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You know,” Reggie started. “He’s less likely to hurt us if his sister tells him.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s true,” Luke agreed. “You’re like his favourite person, and he can’t hurt his twin. You should be the one to tell him.” </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I shook my head at the two. I knew that Lex was completely fine with it, I admittedly just wanted to see them freak out a bit, and I wasn’t done having my fun. It was at this exact moment, that my brother decided to make his appearance. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey guys what’s-“ Alex asked before coming to a stop. Taking in the still flushed faces of the three of us, and the guys pleading faces directed towards me. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Luke and Reggie have something to tell you!” I told Alex quickly, before either boy could say anything. “Oh, look at the time! Julie should be back from school now and putting stuff in her room. I’m going to go see her now bye!” And before anyone had a chance to respond, I poofed out, laughing silently to myself as I heard Luke and Reggie shout in protest. </span>
</p>
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